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History and Philosophy of Physics papers — page 87

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What is Wrong With Aim-Oriented Empiricism?
For four decades it has been argued that we need to adopt a new conception of science called aim-oriented empiricism. This has far-reaching implications and repercussions for science, the philosophy…
Nicholas MaxwellSep 2, 2015
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Target Space ≠ Space
This paper investigates the significance of T-duality in string theory: the indistinguishability with respect to all observables, of models attributing radically different radii to space -- larger…
Nick HuggettAug 31, 2015
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The vector algebra war: a historical perspective
There are a wide variety of different vector formalisms currently utilized in engineering and physics. For example, Gibbs' three-vectors, Minkowski four-vectors, complex spinors in quantum…
James M. Chappell, Azhar Iqbal, John G. Hartnett et al.Aug 29, 2015
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Easter Island: the Tongariki and Mataveri Solar Observatories Used a Common Methodology
Two additional positions of the famous Mataveri calendar of Easter Island have been interpreted. The information about the stars of the Virgo constellation has been obtained, too. As a result, the…
Sergei RjabchikovAug 28, 2015
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Astronomical Interpretation of the Signs on the Vessel of the Bronze Age (Central Donbass)
The article presents the results of multidisciplinary study carried out with the help of archaeological and astronomical methods. The aim of the study was to analyze and interpret the signs -…
Larisa N. Vodolazhskaya, Anatoliy N. Usachuk, Mikhail Yu. NevskyAug 27, 2015
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Marks of heliacal rising of Sirius on the sundial of the Bronze Age
The article presents the results of interdisciplinary research made with the help of archaeological, physical and astronomical methods. The aim of the study were analysis and interpretation corolla…
Larisa N. Vodolazhskaya, Anatoliy N. Usachuk, Mikhail Yu. NevskyAug 27, 2015
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Presumable European aurorae in the mid AD 770s were halo displays
The interpretation of the strong 14-C variation around AD 775 as one (or several) solar super-flare(s) by, e.g., Usoskin et al. (2013) is based on alleged aurora sightings in the mid AD 770s in…
Dagmar Neuhaeuser, Ralph NeuhaeuserAug 27, 2015
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Pre-String Theory
In this note, I recollect a two-week period in September 1968 when I factorized the Veneziano model using string variables in Chicago. Professor Yoichiro Nambu went on to calculate the N-particle…
Paul H. FramptonAug 26, 2015
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A review of East Asian reports of aurorae and comets circa AD 775
Given that a strong 14C variation in AD 775 has recently been suggested to be due to the largest solar flare ever recorded in history, it is relevant to investigate whether celestial events observed…
Jesse Chapman, Dagmar Neuhaeuser, Ralph Neuhaeuser et al.Aug 26, 2015
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Light is Heavy
Einstein's relativity theory appears to be very accurate, but at times equally puzzling. On the one hand, electromagnetic radiation must have zero rest mass in order to propagate at the speed of…
M. B. van der Mark, G. W. 't HooftAug 26, 2015
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The Grand Aurorae Borealis Seen in Colombia in 1859
On Thursday, September 1, 1859, the British astronomer Richard Carrington, for the first time ever, observes a spectacular gleam of visible light on the surface of the solar disk, the photosphere.…
Freddy Moreno Cárdenas, Sergio Cristancho Sánchez, Santiago Vargas DomínguezAug 26, 2015
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Skeptical Notes on a Physics of Passage
This paper investigates the mathematical representation of time in physics. In existing theories time is represented by the real numbers, hence their formal properties represent properties of time:…
Nick HuggettAug 25, 2015
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Supernova SN 1006 in two historic Yemeni reports
We present two Arabic texts of historic observations of supernova SN 1006 from Yemen as reported by al-Yamani and Ibn al-Dayba (14th to 16th century AD). An English translation of the report by the…
Wafiq Rada, Ralph NeuhaeuserAug 25, 2015
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Mathemagical 2014 - An Indian Perspective
Mathematics is probably the only subject that can be classified both as art as well as science - former, because it is not constrained by the real world and latter because it is a logical system with…
Patrick Das GuptaAug 24, 2015
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Relational Quantum Cosmology
The application of quantum theory to cosmology raises a number of conceptual questions, such as the role of the quantum-mechanical notion of "observer" or the absence of a time variable in…
Francesca VidottoAug 22, 2015
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O \'Atomo
The article is an historical overview of some of the major contributions from different areas of Science with which, for centuries, it has been built up a scientific, sound and consistent vision of…
Francisco Caruso, Vitor OguriAug 21, 2015
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Perspectives on Einstein's scientific works in Milan
The Milanese period in Albert Einstein's life is a key one for the understanding of the development of his scientific questioning. While being a student in Zürich from 1896, Einstein returned…
Christian BraccoAug 20, 2015
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Dynamic and stochastic systems as a framework for metaphysics and the philosophy of science
Scientists often think of the world (or some part of it) as a dynamical system, a stochastic process, or a generalization of such a system. Prominent examples of systems are (i) the system of planets…
Christian List, Marcus PivatoAug 18, 2015
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How far can a pragmatist go into quantum theory? - A critical view of our current understanding of quantum phenomena
To date, quantum mechanics has proven to be our most successful theoretical model. However, it is still surrounded by a "mysterious halo" that can be summarized in a simple but challenging…
A. S. SanzAug 17, 2015
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Introduction to Collection "Physics in a Mad World" (an Abridged Version)
This Introduction opens the collection "Physics in A Mad World" devoted to two outstanding physicists whose destinies were deeply intertwined with the tragedies and drama of the times in…
M. ShifmanAug 14, 2015
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Mathematics Is Physics
In this essay, I argue that mathematics is a natural science---just like physics, chemistry, or biology---and that this can explain the alleged "unreasonable" effectiveness of mathematics in…
M. S. LeiferAug 11, 2015
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Conversations on Contextuality
In the form of a dialogue (imitating in style Lakatos's Proof and Refutation), this chapter presents and explains the main points of the approach to contextuality dubbed Contextuality-by-Default.
Ehtibar N. Dzhafarov, Janne V. KujalaAug 3, 2015
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Expanding Earth and Static Universe: Two Papers of 1935
The German-born astronomer Jacob K. E. Halm (1866-1944) wrote in 1935 two papers on quite different subjects, one an astrophysically based argument for the expanding Earth and the other a no less…
Helge KraghJul 29, 2015
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The scientific construction of the world
There is no mysterious link between mathematics and physics, because both of them are human inventions designed to study the world.
Luigi FoschiniJul 15, 2015
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Quantum Dynamical Relativity and the Nature of Spacetime
Einstein's special theory of relativity starts with assumptions about how observations conducted in relatively moving inertial frames must compare. From these assumptions, conclusions can be…
Allan WalstadJul 12, 2015
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