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History and Philosophy of Physics papers — page 75

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On Gravitational Energy in Newtonian Theories
There are well-known problems associated with the idea of (local) gravitational energy in general relativity. We offer a new perspective on those problems by comparison with Newtonian gravitation,…
Neil Dewar, James Owen WeatherallJul 3, 2017
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Martin David Kruskal: a biographical memoir
Martin David Kruskal was one of the most versatile theoretical physicists of his generation and is distinguished for his enduring work in several different areas, most notably plasma physics, a…
J. D. Gibbon, S. C. Cowley, N. Joshi et al.Jul 1, 2017
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Logic of gauge
The logic of gauge theory is considered by tracing its development from general relativity to Yang-Mills theory, through Weyl's two gauge theories. A handful of elements---which for want of…
Alexander AfriatJun 28, 2017
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Review of Geraint F. Lewis and Luke A. Barnes, A Fortunate Universe: Life in a Finely Tuned Cosmos
This new book by cosmologists Geraint F. Lewis and Luke A. Barnes is another entry in the long list of cosmology-centered physics books intended for a large audience. While many such books aim at…
Yann Benétreau-DupinJun 28, 2017
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Cauchy Tetrahedron Argument and the Proofs of the Existence of Stress Tensor, a Comprehensive Review, Challenges, and Improvements
In 1822, Cauchy presented the idea of traction vector that contains both the normal and tangential components of the internal surface forces per unit area and gave the tetrahedron argument to prove…
Ehsan AzadiJun 26, 2017
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Drowning by numbers: topology and physics in fluid dynamics
Since its very beginnings, topology has forged strong links with physics and the last Nobel prize in physics, awarded in 2016 to Thouless, Haldane and Kosterlitz " for theoretical discoveries of…
Amaury MouchetJun 26, 2017
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An Antidote for Hawkmoths: On the prevalence of structural chaos in non-linear modeling
This paper deals with the question of whether uncertainty regarding model structure, especially in climate modeling, exhibits a kind of "chaos." Do small changes in model structure, in other words,…
Lukas Nabergall, Alejandro Navas, Eric WinsbergJun 23, 2017
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Wind, Sand and Water. The Orientation of the Late Roman Forts in the Kharga Oasis (Egyptian Western Desert)
The chain of late Roman fortified settlements built in the Kharga Oasis, in Egypt Western Desert, represents an interesting case study to analyse how the ancient Roman town planners interacted with…
Corinna Rossi, Giulio MagliJun 21, 2017
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How big was Galileo's impact? Percussion in the Sixth Day of the "Two New Sciences"
The Giornata Sesta about the Force of Percussion is a relatively less known Chapter from the Galileo's masterpiece "Discourse about Two New Sciences". It was first published lately…
Antonio Giannella-Neto, Frederico C. JandreJun 9, 2017
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Truth, Beauty and Supergravity
I use Supergravity as a test case to study the role and uses of elegance/simplicity in formulating and evaluating physical models, whose sole criterion is of course truth: an observationally verified…
S. DeserJun 8, 2017
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The Fate of Ernst Ising and the Fate of his Model
On this, the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the "Ising Lectures" in Lviv (Ukraine), we give some personal reflections about the famous model that was suggested by Wilhelm Lenz for ferromagnetism…
Thomas Ising, Reinhard Folk, Ralph Kenna et al.Jun 6, 2017
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Readings and Misreadings of J. Willard Gibbs Elementary Principles in Statistical Mechanics
J. Willard Gibbs' Elementary Principles in Statistical Mechanics was the definitive work of one of America's greatest physicists. Gibbs' book on statistical mechanics establishes the…
George D. J. PhilliesJun 5, 2017
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On the Reality of the Wavefunction
Within the Ontological Models Framework (OMF), Pusey, Barrett, and Rudolph (PBR) have given an argument by which they claimed that the epistemic view on the wavefunction should be ruled out. This…
Omid CharrakhJun 5, 2017
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Cosmology and the Origin of the Universe: Historical and Conceptual Perspectives
From a modern perspective cosmology is a historical science in so far that it deals with the development of the universe since its origin some 14 billion years ago. The origin itself may not be…
Helge KraghJun 2, 2017
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Verification of the anecdote about Edwin Hubble and the Nobel Prize
Edwin Powel Hubble is regarded as one of the most important astronomers of 20th century. In despite of his great contributions to the field of astronomy, he never received the Nobel Prize because…
Kohji TsumuraMay 29, 2017
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No alternative to proliferation
We reflect on the nature, role and limits of non-empirical theory assessment in fundamental physics, focusing in particular on quantum gravity. We argue for the usefulness and, to some extent,…
Daniele OritiMay 27, 2017
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Arp's Indomitable Universe
We present some aspects of the work and personality of Halton Christian Arp (1927-2013).
Domingos S. L. Soares, Marcos C. D. Neves, Andre K. T. AssisMay 26, 2017
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Kozai Mechanism and real Kozai: Raw Talents of The Highest Order
A slightly(!!!) philosophical article which looks at some interesting overlaps between some fine mathematical brains and a celestial mechanics legend from Japan.
Aswin SekharMay 26, 2017
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Renormalizability, fundamentality and a final theory: The role of UV-completion in the search for quantum gravity
Principles are central to physical reasoning, particularly in the search for a theory of quantum gravity (QG), where novel empirical data is lacking. One principle widely adopted in the search for QG…
Karen Crowther, Niels LinnemannMay 18, 2017
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Left Radicalism and the Milky Way: Connecting the Scientific and Socialist Virtues of Anton Pannekoek
Anton Pannekoek (1873-1960) was both an influential Marxist and an innovative astronomer. This paper will analyse the various innovative methods that he developed to represent the visual aspect of…
Chaokang TaiMay 17, 2017
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On emergence from the perspective of physical science
In this paper, we summarize the development of the concept of emergence in physical science and propose key concepts of emergence in the form of conjectures. Our conjectures are threefold: I. A…
Joon-Young Moon, Eric LaRockMay 16, 2017
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The LHC Timeline: A personal recollection (1980-2012). Oral History Interview
The object of this interview is the history of the Large Hadron Collider in the LEP tunnel at CERN, from first ideas to the discovery of the Brout-Englert-Higgs boson, seen from the point of view of…
Luciano Maiani, Luisa BonolisMay 14, 2017
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Alternative Explanations of the Cosmic Microwave Background: A Historical and an Epistemological Perspective
We historically trace various non-conventional explanations for the origin of the cosmic microwave background and discuss their merit, while analyzing the dynamics of their rejection, as well as the…
Milan M. Cirkovic, Slobodan PerovicMay 8, 2017
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(Information) Paradox Lost
Since Stephen Hawking's original 1975 paper on black hole evaporation, there has been a consensus that the problem of "loss of information" is both deep and troubling. It is also thought…
Tim MaudlinMay 6, 2017
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The Ancient Astronomy of Easter Island: The Mamari Tablet Tells (Part 3)
One of main events on Rapanui before the cruel war (several wars) between the Hanau Momoko and Hanau Eepe was the annual election of the bird-man. Plainly, the local priest-astronomers, the…
Sergei RjabchikovMay 3, 2017
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