
The Logical Structure of Mathematical Physics
J.D. Sneed(Author)
Kluwer Academic Publishers
2nd Edition
Published on 31. December 1979
Book
Paperback/Softback
352 pages
978-90-277-1059-8 (ISBN)
Description
This book is about scientific theories of a particular kind - theories of mathematical physics. Examples of such theories are classical and relativis tic particle mechanics, classical electrodynamics, classical thermodynamics, statistical mechanics, hydrodynamics, and quantum mechanics. Roughly, these are theories in which a certain mathematical structure is employed to make statements about some fragment of the world. Most of the book is simply an elaboration of this rough characterization of theories of mathematical physics. It is argued that each theory of mathematical physics has associated with it a certain characteristic mathematical struc ture. This structure may be used in a variety of ways to make empirical claims about putative applications of the theory. Typically - though not necessarily - the way this structure is used in making such claims requires that certain elements in the structure play essentially different roles. Some playa "theoretical" role; others playa "non-theoretical" role. For example, in classical particle mechanics, mass and force playa theoretical role while position plays a non-theoretical role. Some attention is given to showing how this distinction can be drawn and describing precisely the way in which the theoretical and non-theoretical elements function in the claims of the theory. An attempt is made to say, rather precisely, what a theory of mathematical physics is and how you tell one such theory from anothe- what the identity conditions for these theories are.
More details
Series
Edition
Second Edition 1979
Language
English
Place of publication
Dordrecht
Netherlands
Publishing group
Springer
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Research
Edition type
New edition
Illustrations
3 s/w Abbildungen
352 p. 3 illus.
Dimensions
Height: 235 mm
Width: 155 mm
Thickness: 20 mm
Weight
534 gr
ISBN-13
978-90-277-1059-8 (9789027710598)
DOI
10.1007/978-94-009-9522-2
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
12/2012
2nd Edition
Springer
€96.29
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Book
12/1979
2nd Edition
Kluwer Academic Publishers
€89.13
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Content
I. Logical Structure and Axiomatization.- II. The Traditional View.- III. The Ramsey View.- IV. The Ramsey View Emended.- V. Theoretical Functions with Special Forms.- VI. Classical Particle Mechanics.- VII. Identity, Equivalence and Reduction.- VIII. The Dynamics of Theories.- Updated Bibliography.