Symmetries in physics : philosophical reflections / edited by Katherine Brading and Elena Castellani.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Brading, Katherine, 1970- editor.

Castellani, Elena, 1959- editor.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Symmetry (Physics).

Physics--Philosophy.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xii, 445 pages) : digital, PDF file(s).

Place of Publication:

Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2003.

Summary:

Symmetry considerations dominate modern fundamental physics, both in quantum theory and in relativity. This book presents a collection of philosophy-on-physics papers, highlighting the main issues and controversies, and providing an entry into the subject for both physicists and philosophers. It covers topical issues such as the significance of gauge symmetry, particle identity in quantum theory, how to make sense of parity violation, the role of symmetry-breaking, the empirical status of symmetry principles, and so forth, along with more traditional problems in the philosophy of science. These include the status of the laws of nature, the relationships between mathematics, physical theory, and the world, and the extent to which mathematics dictates physics. A valuable reference for students and researchers, it will also be of interest to those studying the foundations of physics, philosophy of physics and philosophy of science.

Contents:

Continuous Symmetries

Classic texts: extracts from Weyl and Wigner

On the significance of continuous symmetry to the foundations of physics / Christopher A. Martin

The philosophical roots of the gauge principle: Weyl and transcendental phenomenological idealism / T.A. Ryckman

Symmetries and Noether's theorems / Katherine Brading and Harvey R. Brown

General covariance, gauge theories, and the Kretschmann objection / John D. Norton

The interpretation of gauge symmetry / Michael Redhead

Tracking down gauge: an ode to the constrained Hamiltonian formalism / John Earman

Time-dependent symmetries: the link between gauge symmetries and indeterminism / David Wallace

A fourth way to the Aharanov-Bohm effect / Aatigone M. Nounou

Discrete Symmetries

Classic texts: extracts from Lebniz, Kant and Black

Understanding permutation symmetry / Steven French and Dean Rickles

Quarticles and the identity of discernibles / Nick Huggett

Handedness, parity violation, and the reality of space / Oliver Pooley

Mirror symmetry: what is it for a relational space to be orientable? / Nick Huggett

Physics and Leibniz's principles / Simon Saunders

Symmetry Breaking

Classic texts: extracts from Curie and Weyl

Cross-fertilization in theoretical physics: the case of condensed matter and particle physics / Giovanni Jona-Lasinio

On the meaning of symmetry breaking / Elena Castellani

Rough guide to spontaneous symmetry breaking / John Earman

Spontaneous symmetry breaking: theoretical arguments and philosophical problems / Margaret Morrison

General Interpretative Issues

Classic texts: extracts from Wigner

Symmetry as a guide to superfluous theoretical structure / Jenann Ismael and Bas C. van Fraassen

Notes on symmetries / Gordon Belot

Symmetry, objectivity, and design / Peter Kosso

Symmetry and equivalence / Elena Castellani.

Notes:

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 05 Oct 2015).

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

1-107-13650-4

1-280-43088-5

9786610430888

0-511-20606-2

0-511-16992-2

0-511-06187-0

0-511-29707-6

0-511-53536-8

0-511-07033-0

OCLC:

57300113