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History and Philosophy of Physics papers — page 28

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An Alleged Tension between Non-classical Logics and Applied Classical Mathematics
Timothy Williamson has recently argued that the applicability of classical mathematics in the natural and social sciences raises a problem for the endorsement, in non-mathematical domains, of a wide…
Sebastian Horvat, Iulian D. ToaderApr 17, 2023
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Quantum Logic and Meaning
This paper gives a formulation of quantum logic in the abstract algebraic setting laid out by Dunn and Hardegree (2001). On this basis, it provides a comparative analysis of viable quantum logical…
Sebastian Horvat, Iulian D. ToaderApr 17, 2023
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Remembering Ludwig Dmitrievich Faddeev, our lifelong partner in mathematical physics
We briefly recount the long friendship that developed between Ludwig and us (Moshe Flato and I), since we first met at ICM 1966 in Moscow. That friendship extended to his school and family, and…
Daniel SternheimerApr 15, 2023
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A critique of one of Galileo's mental experiments and an explanation on why bodies fall with equal acceleration through the vacuum
In the famous thought experiment studied in this article, Galileo attempted to refute the Aristotelian hypothesis that heavier bodies should fall more quickly than lighter ones. After pointing out…
Leonardo LevinasApr 13, 2023
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How research programs come apart: the example of supersymmetry and the disunity of physics
According to Peter Galison, the coordination of different ``subcultures'' within a scientific field happens through local exchanges within ``trading zones''. In his view, the workability of such…
Lucas Gautheron, Elisa OmodeiApr 7, 2023
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A decoherence-based approach to the classical limit in Bohm's theory
The paper explains why the de Broglie-Bohm theory reduces to Newtonian mechanics in the macroscopic classical limit. The quantum-to-classical transition is based on three steps: (i) interaction with…
Davide RomanoApr 7, 2023
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The Next Generation Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration: History, Philosophy, and Culture
This white paper outlines the plans of the History Philosophy Culture Working Group of the Next Generation Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration.
Peter Galison, Juliusz Doboszewski, Jamee Elder et al.Apr 5, 2023
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Necessitating Spacetime
We investigate structure that describes physical data in gravitational systems that is, to one degree or another, independent of the metric and affine structure. We dub such structure surplus…
Kyle Singh, Jenna Van DykeApr 3, 2023
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Euler's variational approach to the elastica
The history of the elastica is examined through the works of various contributors, including those of Jacob and Daniel Bernoulli, since its first appearance in a 1690 contest on finding the profile…
Sylvio R. BistafaMar 31, 2023
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Empty space and the (positive) cosmological constant
I discuss empty space, as it appears in the physical foundations of relativistic field theories and in the semiclassical study of isolated systems. Of particular interest is the relationship between…
Mike D. SchneiderMar 27, 2023
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Does von Neumann Entropy Correspond to Thermodynamic Entropy?
Conventional wisdom holds that the von Neumann entropy corresponds to thermodynamic entropy, but Hemmo and Shenker (2006) have recently argued against this view by attacking von Neumann (1955) and…
Eugene Y. S. ChuaMar 26, 2023
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T Falls Apart: On the Status of Classical Temperature in Relativity
Taking the formal analogies between black holes and classical thermodynamics seriously seems to first require that classical thermodynamics applies to relativistic regimes. Yet, by scrutinizing how…
Eugene Y. S. ChuaMar 26, 2023
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On the analogies between gravitational and electromagnetic radiative energy
We give a conceptual exposition of aspects of gravitational radiation, especially in relation to energy. Our motive for doing so is that the strong analogies with electromagnetic radiation seem not…
Henrique Gomes, Carlo RovelliMar 24, 2023
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The Hole Argument and Beyond, Part II: Treating Non-isomorphic Spacetimes
In this two-part paper we review, and then develop, the assessment of the hole argument for general relativity. The review (in Part I) discussed how to compare points in isomorphic spacetimes, i.e.…
Henrique Gomes, Jeremy ButterfieldMar 24, 2023
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The Hole Argument and Beyond, Part I: The Story so Far
In this two-part paper, we review, and then develop, the assessment of the hole argument for general relativity. This first Part reviews the literature hitherto, focussing on the philosophical…
Henrique Gomes, Jeremy ButterfieldMar 24, 2023
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Ontologies of common sense, physics and mathematics
The view of nature we adopt in the natural attitude is determined by common sense, without which we could not survive. Classical physics is modelled on this common-sense view of nature, and uses…
Jobst Landgrebe, Barry SmithMar 23, 2023
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Classical Thought in Newton's General Scholium
Isaac Newton, in popular imagination the Ur-scientist, was an outstanding humanist scholar. His researches on, among others, ancient philosophy, are thorough and appear to be connected to and fit…
Karin VerelstMar 22, 2023
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Are Entropy Bounds Epistemic?
Entropy bounds have played an important role in the development of holography as an approach to quantum gravity, so in this article we seek to gain a better understanding of the covariant entropy…
Emily AdlamMar 19, 2023
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Aesthetic Motivation in Quantum Physics: Past and Present
This essay explores the relations between aesthetics and motivation, primarily in quantum physics, focusing on the notions of play, beauty, and the joy of insight. The motivating role of these…
Henrik ZinkernagelMar 16, 2023
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Did Christiaan Huygens need glasses? A study of Huygens' telescope equations and tables
In the later stages of his life, Christiaan Huygens semi-empirically derived a set of relations between the objective focus and diameter, the eyepiece focus, and the magnification that resulted from…
A. G. M. PietrowMar 9, 2023
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A Brief History of the Study of High Energy Cosmic Rays using Arrays of Surface Detectors
A brief history of the development of surface detectors for the study of the high-energy cosmic rays is presented. The paper is based on an invited talk given at UHECR2022 held in LAquila, October…
A. A. WatsonMar 9, 2023
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The Cosmology of David Bohm: Scientific and Theological Significance
We discuss David Bohm's dual contributions as a physicist and thinker. First, de Grijs introduces Bohm's universe, with an emphasis on the physical quest that led Bohm to the elaboration of an…
Richard de Grijs, Doru CostacheMar 8, 2023
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Introducing the ISE Methodology: A Powerful New Tool for Topological Redescription
This paper introduces a powerful new tool for topological redescription, the ISE Methodology. These tools allow us to remove and replace a theory's topological underpinnings just as easily as we can…
Daniel GrimmerMar 5, 2023
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Analogue gravity and its scientific confirmatory role
Empirical confirmation in some areas of physics is obscure; for example in Hawking radiation. However, the analogue gravity can simulate these phenomena in condensed matter systems. That is an…
Mojtaba ShahbaziMar 3, 2023
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Algorithmic Randomness and Probabilistic Laws
We apply recent ideas about complexity and randomness to the philosophy of laws and chances. We develop two ways to use algorithmic randomness to characterize probabilistic laws of nature. The first,…
Jeffrey A. Barrett, Eddy Keming ChenMar 2, 2023
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