
Identity in Physics
A Historical, Philosophical, and Formal Analysis
Oxford University Press
Published on 4. November 2010
Book
Paperback/Softback
440 pages
978-0-19-957563-3 (ISBN)
Description
Can quantum particles be regarded as individuals, just like books, tables and people? According to the 'received' view - articulated by several physicists in the immediate aftermath of the quantum revolution - quantum physics itself tells us they cannot: quantum particles, unlike their classical counterparts, must be regarded as 'non-individuals' in some sense. However, recent work has indicated that this is not the whole story and that the theory is also consistent with the position that such particles can be taken to be individuals, albeit at a metaphysical price.
Drawing on philosophical accounts of identity and individuality, as well as the histories of both classical and quantum physics, the authors explore these two alternative metaphysical packages. In particular, they argue that if quantum particles are regarded as individuals, then Leibniz's famous Principle of the Identity of Indiscernibles is in fact violated. Recent discussions of this conclusion are analysed in detail and, again, the costs involved in saving the Principle are carefully considered.
Taking the alternative package, the authors deploy recent work in non-standard logic and set theory to indicate how we can make sense of the idea that objects can be non-individuals. The concluding chapter suggests how these results might then be extended to quantum field theory.
Identity in Physics brings together a range of work in this area and further develops the authors' own contributions to the debate. Uniquely, as the title indicates, it situates this work in the appropriate formal, historical, and philosophical contexts.
Drawing on philosophical accounts of identity and individuality, as well as the histories of both classical and quantum physics, the authors explore these two alternative metaphysical packages. In particular, they argue that if quantum particles are regarded as individuals, then Leibniz's famous Principle of the Identity of Indiscernibles is in fact violated. Recent discussions of this conclusion are analysed in detail and, again, the costs involved in saving the Principle are carefully considered.
Taking the alternative package, the authors deploy recent work in non-standard logic and set theory to indicate how we can make sense of the idea that objects can be non-individuals. The concluding chapter suggests how these results might then be extended to quantum field theory.
Identity in Physics brings together a range of work in this area and further develops the authors' own contributions to the debate. Uniquely, as the title indicates, it situates this work in the appropriate formal, historical, and philosophical contexts.
Reviews / Votes
Identity in Physics is a very significant contribution to debate about, well, identity in physics, but it deserves attention from general philosophers of science and metaphysicians too. * Katherine Hawley, International Studies in Philosophy of Science * Steven French and Decio Krause have written what bids fair to be, for years to come, the definitive philosophical treatment of the problem of the individuality of elementary particles in quantum mechanics and quantum field theory. * Don Howard, Metascience *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Scholars and students of philosophy of physics; physicists
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
Thickness: 24 mm
Weight
664 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-957563-3 (9780199575633)
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Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Book
06/2006
Oxford University Press
€102.70
Shipment within 15-20 days
Persons
Steven French is Professor of the Philosophy of Science at the University of Leeds
Decio Krause is Associate Professor at the Department of Philosophy of the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
Decio Krause is Associate Professor at the Department of Philosophy of the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
Author
, University of Leeds
, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
Content
1. Introduction ; 2. Individuality in Classical Physics ; 3. Quantum Statistics and Non-Individuality ; 4. Individuality and Non-Individuality in Quantum Mechanics ; 5. Names, Nomological Objects, and Quasets ; 6. A Problem for Present Day Mathematics ; 7. The Mathematics of Non-Individuality ; 8. Non-Reflexive Quantum Logics ; 9. The Logic of Quanta