(P/B) PHILOSOPHY OF PHYSICS

Παρουσίαση

This concise book introduces nonphysicists to the core philosophical issues surrounding the nature and structure of space and time, and is also an ideal resource for physicists interested in the conceptual foundations of space-time theory. Tim Maudlin's broad historical overview examines Aristotelian and Newtonian accounts of space and time, and traces how Galileo's conceptions of relativity and space-time led to Einstein's special and general theories of relativity. Maudlin explains special relativity with enough detail to solve concrete physical problems while presenting general relativity in more qualitative terms. Additional topics include the Twins Paradox, the physical aspects of the Lorentz-FitzGerald contraction, the constancy of the speed of light, time travel, the direction of time, and more.
- Introduces nonphysicists to the philosophical foundations of space-time theory
- Provides a broad historical overview, from Aristotle to Einstein
- Explains special relativity geometrically, emphasizing the intrinsic structure of space-time
- Covers the Twins Paradox, Galilean relativity, time travel, and more
- Requires only basic algebra and no formal knowledge of physics.
Tim Maudlin is professor of philosophy at New York University. His books include The Metaphysics within Physics and Quantum Non-Locality and Relativity. (From the publisher)

Περιεχόμενα

Acknowledgments
Introduction: The Aim and Structure of These Volumes
Chapter One
Classical Accounts of Space and Time
The Birth of Physics
Newton's First Law and Absolute Space
Absolute Time and the Persistence of Absolute Space
The Metaphysics of Absolute Space and Time
Chapter Two
Evidence for Spatial and Temporal Structure
Newton's Second Law and the Bucket Experiment
Arithmetic, Geometry, and Coordinates
The Symmetries of Space and the Leibniz-Clarke Debate
Chapter Three
Eliminating Unobservable Structure
Absolute Velocity and Galilean Relativity
Galilean Space-Time
Chapter Four
Special Relativity
Special Relativity and Minkowski Space-Time
The Twins Paradox
Minkowski Straightedge, Minkowski Compass
Constructing Lorentz Coordinates
Chapter Five
The Physics of Measurement
The Clock Hypothesis
Abstract Boosts and Physical Boosts
The "Constancy of the Speed of Light"
Deeper Accounts of Physical Principles
Chapter Six
General Relativity
Curved Space and Curved Space-Time
Geometrizing Away Gravity
Black Holes and the Big Bang
The Hole Argument
Suggested Readings on General Relativity
Chapter Seven
The Direction and Topology of Time
The Geometry of Time
Time Travel as a Technical Problem
The Direction of Time
Appendix: Some Problems in Special Relativistic Physics
References
Index