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History and Philosophy of Physics papers — page 81

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Three myths about time reversal in quantum theory
Many have suggested that the transformation standardly referred to as 'time reversal' in quantum theory is not deserving of the name. I argue on the contrary that the standard definition is perfectly…
Bryan W. RobertsJul 25, 2016
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Reductionism and the Universal Calculus
In the seminal essay, "On the unreasonable effectiveness of mathematics in the physical sciences," physicist Eugene Wigner poses a fundamental philosophical question concerning the…
Gopal P. SarmaJul 22, 2016
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An Epistemic View of Quantum Communication
This paper presents an epistemological perspective on quantum communication between parties that highlights the choices that must be made in order to send and obtain information. The notion of…
Subhash KakJul 20, 2016
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Life, Intelligence and Multiverse
Hypothetical existence of other universes gives an opportunity not only to extend the scope of physics, but the scope of biology, SETI, and METI as well. Some steps of the development of alien life…
Zoltan GalantaiJul 19, 2016
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Tycho Brahe, Abu Mashar, and the comet beyond Venus (ninth century A.D.)
From his observations of the A.D. 1572 super-nova and the A.D. 1577 comet, Tycho Brahe concluded that such transient celestial objects are outside the Earth's atmosphere, and he quoted the 9th…
Ralph Neuhaeuser, Paul Kunitzsch, Markus Mugrauer et al.Jul 18, 2016
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In memoriam: Dmitri Ivanenko
Dmitri Ivanenko, professor of Moscow State University, was one of the great theoreticians of XX century, an author of the proton-neutron model of atomic nucleus. In honor of the 110th Year…
G. SardanashvilyJul 13, 2016
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General relativity and the growth of a sub-discipline "gravitation" in the German speaking physics community
We will follow the growth of gravitational theory in Germany from 1915 to the 1990s, i.e., relativistic theories of gravitation, mainly Einstein's, as a branch of physics in the sense of social,…
Hubert F. M. GoennerJul 12, 2016
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A Golden Age of General Relativity? Some remarks on the history of general relativity
In papers on the history of general relativity and in personal remembrances of relativists, keywords like "renaissance" and "golden age" of general relativity have been used. We try…
Hubert F. M. GoennerJul 12, 2016
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The Ancient Astronomy of Easter Island: Kirch's Comet
A fragment of the folklore text "Apai" that was once put down on Easter Island contains a report about astronomical observations of Kirch's Comet or the Great Comet of 1680-1681 A.D.…
Sergei RjabchikovJul 10, 2016
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Gambling on the existence of other universes
Speculations and theories about the existence of other worlds have a long history. In recent times, the arguments have shifted away from their typical philosophical and theological character to…
Arturo SangalliJul 6, 2016
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Interpretation of the historic Yemeni reports of supernova SN 1006: early discovery in mid-April 1006 ?
The recently published Yemeni observing report about SN 1006 from al-Yamani clearly gives AD 1006 Apr 17 2 (mid-Rajab 396h) as first observation date. Since this is about 1.5 weeks earlier than…
Ralph Neuhaeuser, Dagmar Neuhaeuser, Wafiq Rada et al.Jun 28, 2016
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Permanent Underdetermination from Approximate Empirical Equivalence in Field Theory: Massless and Massive Scalar Gravity, Neutrino, Electromagnetic, Yang-Mills and Gravitational Theories
Classical and quantum field theory provide not only realistic examples of extant notions of empirical equivalence, but also new notions of empirical equivalence, both modal and occurrent. A simple…
J. Brian PittsJun 21, 2016
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Léon Rosenfeld's general theory of constrained Hamiltonian dynamics
This commentary reflects on the 1930 discoveries of Léon Rosenfeld in the domain of phase-space constraints. We start with a short biography of Rosenfeld and his motivation for this article in the…
Donald Salisbury, Kurt SundermeyerJun 20, 2016
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Comment on "Scientific Regress" (First Things May 2016)
Response to William A. Wilson on the limits and fallibility of science.
J. I. KatzJun 20, 2016
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Archaeoastronomy and the chronology of the Temple of Jupiter at Baalbek
One of the most complex architectural feats ever conceived is the magnificent temple of Jupiter at Baalbek, Lebanon. Several issues remain unsolved about this site, and in particular the chronology…
Giulio MagliJun 19, 2016
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Einstein's Approach to Statistical Mechanics: The 1902-04 Papers
We summarize the papers published by Einstein in the Annalen der Physik in the years 1902-04 on the derivation of the properties of thermal equilibrium on the basis of the mechanical equations of…
Luca Peliti, Raúl RechtmanJun 15, 2016
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A possible role of Alpha Crucis in the astronomical landscape of Silbury Hill
The paper is proposing a possible link between the construction of the Silbury Hill, the prehistoric artificial mound near Avebury, and the observation of Alpha Crucis, the main star of the Crux…
Amelia Carolina SparavignaJun 14, 2016
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Scientific Realism and Primordial Cosmology
We discuss scientific realism from the perspective of modern cosmology, especially primordial cosmology: i.e. the cosmological investigation of the very early universe. We first (Section 2) state our…
Feraz Azhar, Jeremy ButterfieldJun 13, 2016
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Sidney Coleman's Harvard
A talk presented at the April 2016 APS meeting in Salt Lake City: The speaker had the great good fortune to take an undergraduate course in group theory from Sidney Coleman, and (after graduate…
Howard GeorgiJun 12, 2016
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Yokohama to Ruby Valley : Around the World in 80 Years. II
We two had year-long research leaves in Japan, working together fulltime with several Japanese plus Tony De Groot back in Livermore and Harald Posch in Vienna. We summarize a few of the high spots…
Carol Griswold Hoover, William Graham HooverJun 10, 2016
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In memoriam: Markus Büttiker (1950 - 2013)
Introduction for a special issue of Physica E dedicated to the memory of Markus Büttiker.
Carlo Beenakker, Philippe Jacquod, Andrew Jordan et al.Jun 7, 2016
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Landau's Nobel Prize in Physics
Work of Lev Landau had a profound impact on the physics in 20th century. Landau had created the paradigms that had framed the conversations on the outstanding problems in physics for decades. He has…
Mats Larsson, A. V. BalatskyJun 7, 2016
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The dichotomy between 'practical' and 'theoretical' astronomy in ancient and late antique literature
In Plato's dialogues Republic and Laws, the most important disciplines for the best education of the rulers of the city are identified with arithmetic, geometry and astronomy. Those disciplines,…
Elio AntonelloJun 6, 2016
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A few remarks on the relationship between elementary particle physics, gravitation and cosmology
We discuss some current problems in the relationship between elementary particle physics and gravitation, i.e., in the subject investigated by Prof.~K.~P.~Staniukovich half a century ago.…
V. M. MostepanenkoJun 5, 2016
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History of "Anomalous" Atmospheric Neutrino Events: A First Person Account
The modern picture of the neutrino as a multiple mass highly mixed neutral particle has emerged over 40 years of study. Best known of the issues leading to this picture was the apparent loss of…
John M. LoSeccoJun 2, 2016
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