Philosophy of Physics
This book deals with some of the current issues in the philosophy, methodology and foundations of physics. Some such problems are: - Do mathematical formalisms interpret themselves or is it necessary to adjoin them interpretation assumptions, and if so ho
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D. REIDEL PUBLISHING COMPANY DORDRECHT-HOLLAND/BOSTON-U.S.A.
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 72-86103 ISBN-I3: 978-94-0 I 0-2524-9 DOl: 10.1007/978-94-010-2522-5
e-ISBN-I3: 978-94-010-2522-5
Published by D. Reidel Publishing Company, P.O. Box 17, Dordrecht, Holland Sold and distributed in the U.S.A., Canada and Mexico by D. Reidel Publishing Company, Inc. 306 Dartmouth Street, Boston, Mass. 02116, U.S.A.
All Rights Reserved Copyright © 1973 by D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrecht, Holland No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, by print, photoprint, microfilm, or any other means, without written permission from the publisher
PHILOSOPHY OF PHYSICS
SYNTHESE LIBRARY MONOGRAPHS ON EPISTEMOLOGY, LOGIC, METHODOLOGY, PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE, SOCIOLOGY OF SCIENCE AND OF KNOWLEDGE, AND ON THE MATHEMATICAL METHODS OF SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
Editors: DONALD DAVIDSON, The Rockefeller JAAKKO HINTIKKA,
UniversityandPrinceton University
Academy of Finland and Stanford University
GABRIEL NUCHELMANS, WESLEY
C.
SALMON,
University of Leyden
Indiana University
DEDICATION To those who have undertaken to study physics for the love of it and who, despite course drillings, demands for fast results, and market pressures, still love their science, have not given up the hope of understanding it better, and dare to ask radical questions. For theirs is the Kingdom ofPhotons.
PREFACE
This book deals with some of the current issues in the philosophy, methodology and foundations of physics. Some such problems are: - Do mathematical formalisms interpret themselves or is it necessary to adjoin them interpretation assumptions, and if so how are these assumptions to be framed? - What are physical theories about: physical systems or laboratory operations or both or neither? - How are the basic concepts of a theory to be introduced: by reference to measurements or by explicit definition or axiomatically? - What is the use ofaxiomatics in physics? - How are the various physical theories inter-related: like Chinese boxes or in more complex ways? - What is the role of analogy in the construction and in the interpretation of physical theories? In particular, are classical analogues like those of particle and wave indispensable in quantum theories? - What is the role of the apparatus in quantum phenomena and what is the place of measurement theory in quantum mechanics? - How does a theory face experiment: single-handed or with the help of further theories? These and several other questions of the kind are met with by the research physicist, the physics teacher and the physics student in their everyday work. If dodged they will recur. And a wrong answer to them may obscure the understanding of what has been achieved and may even hamper further advancement. Philosophy, methodology and foundations, like rose bushes, are enjoyable when cultivated but become ugly and thorny when neglected. There are no prerequisites to the reading of this book except for some undergraduate theoretical physics and a native interes
