Ebook: The Creation of Ideas in Physics: Studies for a Methodology of Theory Construction
- Tags: Philosophy of Science, History, History and Philosophical Foundations of Physics, Theoretical Mathematical and Computational Physics
- Series: The University of Western Ontario Series in Philosophy of Science 55
- Year: 1995
- Publisher: Springer Netherlands
- Edition: 1
- Language: English
- pdf
The unusual ambition of this volume is to engage scientists, historians, and philosophers in a common quest to delineate the structure of the creative thinking responsible for major advances in physical theory. The topic does not fit anyone discipline's proprietary interests, and can only be pursued cooperatively. This volume was conceived in the hope that the importance of learning something general about how theories are developed and what makes the difference between productive and abortive directions of theo retical inquiry could overcome well-known barriers to such cooperation. The volume originated in a conference held at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro in 1988, as an installment of the annual Greensboro Symposium in Philosophy. Most of the papers descend from papers pre sented on that occasion. The authors are well known in their own disciplines, but should be identified to the wider audience for interdisciplinary work in science studies. Rafael Sorkin, of Syracuse University, and Don Page, of the University of Alberta, are theoretical physicists who have done research in quantum gravity and cosmology. John Stachel, a physicist at Boston University, is widely known as the Director of the Einstein Project and editor of Einstein's papers. William Harper, a historian of science and philosopher at the University of Western Ontario, is a Newton scholar and specialist in decision theory.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-vii
Introduction....Pages 1-11
On the Methods of Science....Pages 13-27
Eliminative Induction as a Method of Discovery: How Einstein Discovered General Relativity....Pages 29-69
“The Manifold of Possibilities”: Comments on Norton....Pages 71-88
Einstein’s Luckiest Thought....Pages 89-96
Einstein’s Methodology of Discovery was Newtonian Deduction from the Phenomena....Pages 97-111
Newton's New Way of Inquiry....Pages 113-166
A Specimen of Theory Construction from Quantum Gravity....Pages 167-179
The Hartle-Hawking Proposal for the Quantum State of the Universe....Pages 181-187
On the Introduction of New Ideas in Science....Pages 189-222
Prior Information and the Development of New Ideas: The Copenhagen Family of Theories....Pages 223-243
Back Matter....Pages 245-255
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-vii
Introduction....Pages 1-11
On the Methods of Science....Pages 13-27
Eliminative Induction as a Method of Discovery: How Einstein Discovered General Relativity....Pages 29-69
“The Manifold of Possibilities”: Comments on Norton....Pages 71-88
Einstein’s Luckiest Thought....Pages 89-96
Einstein’s Methodology of Discovery was Newtonian Deduction from the Phenomena....Pages 97-111
Newton's New Way of Inquiry....Pages 113-166
A Specimen of Theory Construction from Quantum Gravity....Pages 167-179
The Hartle-Hawking Proposal for the Quantum State of the Universe....Pages 181-187
On the Introduction of New Ideas in Science....Pages 189-222
Prior Information and the Development of New Ideas: The Copenhagen Family of Theories....Pages 223-243
Back Matter....Pages 245-255
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