Probabilities in physics / edited by Claus Beisbart and Stephan Hartmann.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Beisbart, Claus.

Hartmann, Stephan, 1968-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Physics.

Probabilities.

Physical Description:

xii, 437 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2011.

Summary:

Many results of modern physics-those of quantum mechanics, for instance-come in a probabilistic guise. But what do probabilistic statements in physics mean? Are probabilities matters of objective fact and part of the furniture of the world, as objectivists think? Or do they only express ignorance or belief, as Bayesians suggest? And how are probabilistic hypotheses justified and supported by empirical evidence? Finally, what does the probabilistic nature of physics imply for our understanding of the world?

This volume is the first to provide a philosophical appraisal of probabilities in all of physics. Its main aim is to make sense or probabilistic statements as they occur in the various physical theories and models and to provide a plausible epistemology and metaphysics of probabilities. The essays collected in this volume consider statistical physics, probabilistic modeling, and quantum mechanics, and critically assess the merits and disadvantages of objectivist and subjectivist views of probabilities in these fields. In particular, the Bayesian and Humean views of probabilities and varieties of Boltzmann's typicality approach are examined. The contributions on quantum mechanics discuss the special character of quantum correlations, the justification of the famous Born Rule, and the role of probabilities in a quantum field-theoretic framework. Special emphasis is laid on the connections between probabilities and foundational issues in physics; for instance, the Reversibility Paradox, the notion of entropy, and various interpretations of quantum mechanics are discussed. Finally, some essays consider probabilities in the light of topics from metaphysics such as Humean supervenience and determinism. Book jacket.

Contents:

1 Introduction / Claus Beisbart Beisbart, Claus, Stephan Hartmann Hartmann, Stephan 1

I Probabilities in Statistical Physics

2 Subjective Probability and Statistical Physics / Jos Uffink Uffink, Jos 25

3 An Objectivist Account of Probabilities in Statistical Mechanics / D. A. Lavis Lavis, D. A. 51

4 The Past Histories of Molecules / Craig Callender Callender, Craig 83

5 Entropy: A Guide for the Perplexed / Roman Frigg Frigg, Roman, Charlotte Werndl Werndl, Charlotte 115

6 Probabilistic Modeling in Physics / Claus Beisbart Beisbart, Claus 143

II Probabilities in Quantum Mechanics

7 Aspects of Probability in Quantum Theory / Michael Dickson Dickson, Michael 171

8 Probabilities in Realist Views of Quantum Mechanics / Christopher G. Timpson Timpson, Christopher G. 201

9 Quantum Probabilities: An Information-Theoretic Interpretation / Jeffrey Bub Bub, Jeffrey 231

10 Interpreting Probabilities in Quantum Field Theory and Quantum Statistical Mechanics / Laura Ruetsche Ruetsche, Laura, John Earman Earman, John 263

III Philosophical Perspectives

11 Three Roads to Objective Probability / Tim Maudlin Maudlin, Tim 293

12 Physics and the Humean Approach to Probability / Carl Hoefer Hoefer, Carl 321

13 Probability Out Of Determinism / Michael Strevens Strevens, Michael 339

14 Can the World be Shown to be Indeterministic After All? / Christian Wüthrich Wüthrich, Christian 365.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [391]-420).

ISBN:

9780199577439

0199577439

OCLC:

714724949