Physics, structure, and reality / Jill North.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

North, Jill, author.

Contributor:

Edward Potts Cheyney Memorial Fund.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Physics--Philosophy.

Physics.

Physical Description:

x, 252 pages ; 24 cm

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

Oxford, United Kingdom ; New York, NY : Oxford University Press, 2021.

Contents:

Machine generated contents note: 1. Introduction

2. What is Structure? Why Care about It?

2.1. An example

2.2. Examples from physics

2.3. Related notions

2.4. Comparing structures

3. Inferences about Structure

3.1. Inference rules

3.2. Structure presupposed by the laws

3.3. Minimizing and matching structure

3.4. Other principles

3.5. Invariance, structure, and coordinates

4. Classical Mechanics

4.1. Introduction

4.2. An overview of the theories

4.3. Examples using Newtonian mechanics

4.4. Newton's law and Cartesian coordinates

4.5. Examples using Lagrangian mechanics

4.6. Cross-structural comparison

4.7. Applying the minimize-structure rule

5. Spatiotemporal Structure

5.1. The debate about spacetime

5.2. A brief history of space

5.3. A lesson of the traditional examples

5.4. A disagreement about ground

5.5. The disagreement: further details

5.6. An argument for substantivalism

5.7. A challenge for relationalism

6. Realism about Structure

6.1. Introduction

6.2. Taking the mathematics (too) seriously

6.3. A different realism about structure

6.4. Structure, models, and scientific theories

7. On the Equivalence of Physical Theories

7.1. Differing criteria

7.2. Initial cases

7.3. More cases

7.4. Metaphysical and informational equivalence

7.5. Additional cases

7.6. Explanation matters.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Local Notes:

Acquired for the Penn Libraries with assistance from the Edward Potts Cheyney Memorial Fund.

ISBN:

9780192894106

0192894102

OCLC:

1225977224

Publisher Number:

99988390761