Atoms, Mechanics, and Probability
Ludwig Boltzmann's Statistico-Mechanical Writings - An Exegesis
Published on 14. October 2021
Book
Paperback/Softback
640 pages
978-0-19-284471-2 (ISBN)
Description
One of the pillars of modern science, statistical mechanics, owes much to one man, the Austrian physicist Ludwig Boltzmann (1844-1906). As a result of his unusual working and writing styles, his enormous contribution remains little read and poorly understood. The purpose of this book is to make the Boltzmann corpus more accessible to physicists, philosophers, and historians, and so give it new life. The means are introductory biographical and historical materials, detailed and lucid summaries of every relevant publication, and a final chapter of critical synthesis.
Special attention is given to Boltzmann's theoretical tool-box and to his patient construction of lofty formal systems even before their full conceptual import could be known. This constructive tendency largely accounts for his lengthy style, for the abundance of new constructions, for the relative vagueness of their object--and for the puzzlement of commentators. This book will help the reader cross the stylistic barrier and see how ingeniously Boltzmann combined atoms, mechanics, and probability to invent new bridges between the micro- and macro-worlds.
Special attention is given to Boltzmann's theoretical tool-box and to his patient construction of lofty formal systems even before their full conceptual import could be known. This constructive tendency largely accounts for his lengthy style, for the abundance of new constructions, for the relative vagueness of their object--and for the puzzlement of commentators. This book will help the reader cross the stylistic barrier and see how ingeniously Boltzmann combined atoms, mechanics, and probability to invent new bridges between the micro- and macro-worlds.
Reviews / Votes
The text is well written, clear and supported by black-and-white figures and historical footnotes. This book can be fully recommended to anyone with some background in mathematics and physics who is interested in the course of the discussion that led to modern statistical mechanics. It is also a good read for those interested in Boltzmann as a scientist and those who have a more general interest in the science of the period. * Manuel Vogel, Contemporary Physics *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 239 mm
Width: 167 mm
Thickness: 29 mm
Weight
1140 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-284471-2 (9780192844712)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
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Additional editions
Olivier Darrigol
Atoms, Mechanics, and Probability
Ludwig Boltzmann's Statistico-Mechanical Writings - An Exegesis
Book
02/2018
Oxford University Press
€87.80
Shipment within 15-20 days
Person
Olivier Darrigol studied physics at the Ecole Normale Superieure in Paris, the history and philosophy of physics at the Sorbonne and at UC-Berkeley's Office for History of Science and Technology (OHST). He is the author of several books on the history of quantum physics, electrodynamics, hydrodynamics, and optics. He is currently a member of the SPHere research team at CNRS/Paris 7, and a Research Associate at UC-Berkeley's OHST.
Content
PART A: Preliminaries
1: Life and work: A sketch
2: Theories of heat: Some background
PART B: Exegesis
3: Constructing thermal equilibrium (1866-1871)
4: The Boltzmann equation and the H theorem (1872-1875)
5: The probabilistic turn (1876-1884)
6: The analogical turn (1884-1887)
7: Consolidation (1887-1895)
8: The critical turn (1895-1899)
9: Lectures on gas theory (1896-1898)
PART C: Synthetic Reflections
10: Boltzmann's theory
PART A: Preliminaries
1: Life and work: A sketch
2: Theories of heat: Some background
PART B: Exegesis
3: Constructing thermal equilibrium (1866-1871)
4: The Boltzmann equation and the H theorem (1872-1875)
5: The probabilistic turn (1876-1884)
6: The analogical turn (1884-1887)
7: Consolidation (1887-1895)
8: The critical turn (1895-1899)
9: Lectures on gas theory (1896-1898)
PART C: Synthetic Reflections
10: Boltzmann's theory
PART A: Preliminaries
1: Life and work: A sketch
2: Theories of heat: Some background
PART B: Exegesis
3: Constructing thermal equilibrium (1866-1871)
4: The Boltzmann equation and the H theorem (1872-1875)
5: The probabilistic turn (1876-1884)
6: The analogical turn (1884-1887)
7: Consolidation (1887-1895)
8: The critical turn (1895-1899)
9: Lectures on gas theory (1896-1898)
PART C: Synthetic Reflections
10: Boltzmann's theory
1: Life and work: A sketch
2: Theories of heat: Some background
PART B: Exegesis
3: Constructing thermal equilibrium (1866-1871)
4: The Boltzmann equation and the H theorem (1872-1875)
5: The probabilistic turn (1876-1884)
6: The analogical turn (1884-1887)
7: Consolidation (1887-1895)
8: The critical turn (1895-1899)
9: Lectures on gas theory (1896-1898)
PART C: Synthetic Reflections
10: Boltzmann's theory
PART A: Preliminaries
1: Life and work: A sketch
2: Theories of heat: Some background
PART B: Exegesis
3: Constructing thermal equilibrium (1866-1871)
4: The Boltzmann equation and the H theorem (1872-1875)
5: The probabilistic turn (1876-1884)
6: The analogical turn (1884-1887)
7: Consolidation (1887-1895)
8: The critical turn (1895-1899)
9: Lectures on gas theory (1896-1898)
PART C: Synthetic Reflections
10: Boltzmann's theory
PART A: Preliminaries
1: Life and work: A sketch
2: Theories of heat: Some background
PART B: Exegesis
3: Constructing thermal equilibrium (1866-1871)
4: The Boltzmann equation and the H theorem (1872-1875)
5: The probabilistic turn (1876-1884)
6: The analogical turn (1884-1887)
7: Consolidation (1887-1895)
8: The critical turn (1895-1899)
9: Lectures on gas theory (1896-1898)
PART C: Synthetic Reflections
10: Boltzmann's theory