Time, Chance, and Reduction
Philosophical Aspects of Statistical Mechanics
1st Edition
Published on 22. June 2010
978-0-511-76395-3 (ISBN)
Description
Statistical mechanics attempts to explain the behaviour of macroscopic physical systems in terms of the mechanical properties of their constituents. Although it is one of the fundamental theories of physics, it has received little attention from philosophers of science. Nevertheless, it raises philosophical questions of fundamental importance on the nature of time, chance and reduction. Most philosophical issues in this domain relate to the question of the reduction of thermodynamics to statistical mechanics. This book addresses issues inherent in this reduction: the time-asymmetry of thermodynamics and its absence in statistical mechanics; the role and essential nature of chance and probability in this reduction when thermodynamics is non-probabilistic; and how, if at all, the reduction is possible. Compiling contributions on current research by experts in the field, this is an invaluable survey of the philosophy of statistical mechanics for academic researchers and graduate students interested in the foundations of physics.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Cambridge
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Cambridge University Press
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
Worked examples or Exercises; 1 Halftones, unspecified
File size
1,37 MB
ISBN-13
978-0-511-76395-3 (9780511763953)
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.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Gerhard Ernst | Andreas Huettemann
Time, Chance, and Reduction
Philosophical Aspects of Statistical Mechanics
Book
01/2010
Cambridge University Press
€172.50
Shipment within 15-20 days
Persons
GERHARD ERNST is a Professor of History of Philosophy and Moral Philosophy at Universitaet Stuttgart. His main research interests are in moral philosophy, epistemology and philosophy of science. ANDREAS HUETTEMANN is a Professor of Philosophy at Westfaelische Wilhelms-Universitaet, Muenster. His research interests include philosophy of science and early modern philosophy.
Content
List of contributors; 1. Introduction Gerhard Ernst and Andreas Huetteman; Part I. The Arrows of Time: 2. Does a low-entropy constraint prevent us from influencing the past? Mathias Frisch; 3. The part hypothesis meets gravity Craig Callender; 4. Quantum gravity and the arrow of time Claus Kiefer; Part II. Probability and Chance: 5. The natural-range conception of probability Jacob Rosenthal; 6. Probability in Boltzmannian statistical mechanics Roman Frigg; 7. Humean mechanics versus a metaphysics of powers Michael Esfeld; Part III. Reduction: 8. The crystallisation of Clausius's phenomenological thermodynamics C. Ulises Moulines; 9. Reduction and renormalization Robert W. Batterman; 10. Irreversibility in stochastic dynamics Jos Uffink; Index.
