共查询到20条相似文献,搜索用时 31 毫秒
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Jan M. Greben 《Foundations of Science》2012,17(1):21-23
The cosmological theory of the author, discussed in (Greben in Found Sci 15(2):153–176, 2010), has a number of implications for the interpretation of initial conditions and the fine-tuning problem as discussed by Vidal
(Found Sci 15(4):375–393, 2010a). 相似文献
3.
L. Q. English 《Foundations of Science》2007,12(2):155-171
In recent years, the ontological similarities between the foundations of quantum mechanics and the emptiness teachings in
Madhyamika–Prasangika Buddhism of the Tibetan lineage have attracted some attention. After briefly reviewing this unlikely
connection, I examine ideas encountered in condensed-matter physics that resonate with this view on emptiness. Focusing on
the particle concept and emergence in condensed-matter physics, I highlight a qualitative correspondence to the major analytical
approaches to emptiness. 相似文献
4.
Jan t Broekaer 《Foundations of Science》1998,3(2):235-258
In the work of the late Belgian philosopher, logician and freethinker Leo Apostel (1924–1995) the concept of ‘world view’
is extensively developed. From the diverse research of Apostel, I gather and examine the constituents of a world view and
their relationships. I propose to understand it as a pluralist and open, rationalised ontology of the ‘world whole’, comprising
knowledge systems, valuative ethical systems and concomitant action guiding systems, to a large extent reflecting insight
in the exact sciences. The prolific and scattered opus of Apostel renders my account of encompassing world views approximate
and incomplete. It merely outlines the intrinsically unfinished project and presents a recent development. This development
mainly involves our approach to the phenomenon of emergence from a quantum theoretical perspective.
This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date. 相似文献
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Décio Krause 《Foundations of Science》2010,15(1):79-94
In this paper I consider some logical and mathematical aspects of the discussion of the identity and individuality of quantum
entities. I shall point out that for some aspects of the discussion, the logical basis cannot be put aside; on the contrary,
it leads us to unavoidable conclusions which may have consequences in how we articulate certain concepts related to quantum
theory. Behind the discussion, there is a general argument which suggests the possibility of a metaphysics of non-individuals,
based on a reasonable interpretation of quantum basic entities. I close the paper with a suggestion that consists in emphasizing
that quanta should be referred to by the cardinalities of the collections to which they belong, for which an adequate mathematical
framework seems to be possible. 相似文献
7.
Tomasz Bigaj 《Foundations of Science》2012,17(3):205-221
General metaphysical arguments have been proposed in favour of the thesis that all dispositions have categorical bases (Armstrong; Prior, Pargetter, Jackson). These arguments have been countered by equally general arguments in support of ungrounded dispositions (Molnar, Mumford). I believe that this controversy cannot be settled purely on the level of abstract metaphysical considerations. Instead, I propose to look for ungrounded dispositions in specific physical theories, such as quantum mechanics. I explain why non-classical properties such as spin are best interpreted as irreducible dispositional properties, and I give reasons why even seemingly classical properties, for instance position or momentum, should receive a similar treatment when interpreted in the quantum realm. Contrary to the conventional wisdom, I argue that quantum dispositions should not be limited to probabilistic dispositions (propensities) by showing reasons why even possession of well-defined values of parameters should qualify as a dispositional property. I finally discuss the issue of the actuality of quantum dispositions, arguing that it may be justified to treat them as potentialities whose being has a lesser degree of reality than that of classical categorical properties, due to the incompatibility relations between non-commuting observables. 相似文献
8.
Peter Kosso 《Foundations of Science》2000,5(1):47-60
Quantum mechanics is usually presented as a challenge to scientific realism, but I will argue that the details of quantum mechanics actually support realism. I will first present some basic quantum mechanical concepts and results, including the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) experiment and Bell's theorem, and do it in a way that everyone can understand. I will then use the physics to inform the philosophy, showing that quantum mechanics provides evidence to support epistemological realism. 相似文献
9.
Development (and Evolution) of the Universe 总被引:2,自引:2,他引:0
Stanley N. Salthe 《Foundations of Science》2010,15(4):357-367
I distinguish Nature from the World. I also distinguish development from evolution. Development is progressive change and
can be modeled as part of Nature, using a specification hierarchy. I have proposed a ‘canonical developmental trajectory’
of dissipative structures with the stages defined thermodynamically and informationally. I consider some thermodynamic aspects
of the Big Bang, leading to a proposal for reviving final cause. This model imposes a ‘hylozooic’ kind of interpretation upon
Nature, as all emergent features at higher levels would have been vaguely and episodically present primitively in the lower
integrative levels, and were stabilized materially with the developmental emergence of new levels. The specification hierarchy’s
form is that of a tree, with its trunk in its lowest level, and so this hierarchy is appropriate for modeling an expanding
system like the Universe. It is consistent with this model of differentiation during Big Bang development to view emerging
branch tips as having been entrained by multiple finalities because of the top-down integration of the various levels of organization
by the higher levels. 相似文献
10.
Tomasz Bigaj 《Foundations of Science》2007,12(1):85-108
In the paper, the proof of the non-locality of quantum mechanics, given by Bedford and Stapp (1995), and appealing to the
GHZ example, is analyzed. The proof does not contain any explicit assumption of realism, but instead it uses formal methods
and techniques of the Lewis calculus of counterfactuals. To ascertain the validity of the proof, a formal semantic model for
counterfactuals is constructed. With the help of this model it can be shown that the proof is faulty, because it appeals to
the unwarranted principle of “elimination of eliminated conditions” (EEC). As an additional way of showing unreasonableness
of the assumption (EEC), it is argued that yet another alleged and highly controversial proof of non-locality of QM, using
the Hardy example, can be made almost trivial with the help of (EEC). Finally, a general argument is produced to the effect
that the locality condition in the form accepted by Stapp and Bedford is consistent with the quantum-mechanical predictions
for the GHZ case under the assumption of indeterminism. This result undermines any future attempts of proving the incompatibility
between the predictions of quantum theory and the idea of no faster-than-light influence in the GHZ case, quite independently
of the negative assessment of the particular derivation proposed by Stapp and Bedford. 相似文献
11.
Dan Mcarthur 《Foundations of Science》2006,11(4):369-397
In recent years a general consensus has been developing in the philosophy of science to the effect that strong social constructivist
accounts are unable to adequately account for scientific practice. Recently, however, a number of commentators have formulated
an attenuated version of constructivism that purports to avoid the difficulties that plague the stronger claims of its predecessors.
Interestingly this attenuated form of constructivism finds philosophical support from a relatively recent turn in the literature
concerning scientific realism. Arthur Fine and a number of other commentators have argued that the realism debate ought to
be abandoned. The rationale for this argument is that the debate is sterile for it has, it is claimed, no consequence for
actual scientific practice, and therefore does not advance our understanding of science or its practice. Recent “softer” accounts
of social constructivism also hold a similar agnostic stance to the realism question. I provide a survey of these various
agnostic stances and show how they form a general position that I shall refer to as “the anti-philosophical stance”. I then
demonstrate that the anti-philosophical stance fails by identifying difficulties that attend its proposal to ban philosophical
interpretation. I also provide examples of instances where philosophical stances to the realism question affect scientific
practice. 相似文献
12.
Edward MacKinnon 《Foundations of Science》2007,12(4):295-323
An epistemological interpretation of quantum mechanics hinges on the claim that the distinctive features of quantum mechanics
can be derived from some distinctive features of an observational basis. Old and new variations of this theme are listed.
The program has a limited success in non-relativistic quantum mechanics. The crucial issue is how far it can be extended to
quantum field theory without introducing significant ontological postulates. A C*-formulation covers algebraic quantum field
theory, but not the standard model. Julian Schwinger’s anabatic methodology extended a strict measurement-based formulation
of quantum mechanics through field theory. His extension also excluded the quark hypothesis and the standard model. Quarks
and local gauge invariance are postulates that go beyond the limits of an epistemological interpretation of quantum mechanics.
The ontological significance ascribed to these advances depends on the role accorded ontology.
相似文献
Edward MacKinnonEmail: |
13.
Pierre Uzan 《Foundations of Science》2007,12(2):109-137
All the attempts to find the justification of the privileged evolution of phenomena exclusively in the external world need
to refer to the inescapable fact that we are living in such an asymmetric universe. This leads us to look for the origin of the “arrow of time” in the relationship
between the subject and the world. The anthropic argument shows that the arrow of time is the condition of the possibility
of emergence and maintenance of life in the universe. Moreover, according to Bohr’s, Poincaré’s and Watanabe’s analysis, this
agreement between the earlier-later direction of entropy increase and the past-future direction of life is the very condition
of the possibility for meaningful action, representation and creation. Beyond this relationship of logical necessity between
the meaning process and the arrow of time the question of their possible physical connection is explored. To answer affirmatively
to this question, the meaning process is modelled as an evolving tree-like structure, called “Semantic Time”, where thermodynamic
irreversibility can be shown.
Time is the substance I am made of. Time is a river which sweeps me along, but I am the river ; it is a tiger which destroys
me, but I am the tiger ; it is a fire which consumes me, but I am the fire. – (Jorge Luis Borges) 相似文献
14.
We put forward the hypothesis that there exist three basic attitudes towards inconsistencies within world views: (1) The inconsistency
is tolerated temporarily and is viewed as an expression of a temporary lack of knowledge due to an incomplete or wrong theory.
The resolution of the inconsistency is believed to be inherent to the improvement of the theory. This improvement ultimately
resolves the contradiction and therefore we call this attitude the ‘regularising’ attitude; (2) The inconsistency is tolerated
and both contradicting elements in the theory are retained. This attitude integrates the inconsistency and leads to a paraconsistent
calculus; therefore we will call it the paraconsistent attitude. (3) In the third attitude, both elements of inconsistency
are considered to be false and the ‘real situation’ is considered something different that can not be described by the theory
constructively. This indicates the incompleteness of the theory, and leads us to a paracomplete calculus; therefore we call
it the paracomplete attitude. We illustrate these three attitudes by means of two ‘paradoxical’ situations in quantum mechanics,
the wave-particle duality and the situation of non locality.
This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date. 相似文献
15.
Understanding Pluralism in Climate Modeling 总被引:1,自引:0,他引:1
W. S. Parker 《Foundations of Science》2006,11(4):349-368
To study Earth’s climate, scientists now use a variety of computer simulation models. These models disagree in some of their
assumptions about the climate system, yet they are used together as complementary resources for investigating future climatic
change. This paper examines and defends this use of incompatible models. I argue that climate model pluralism results both
from uncertainty concerning how to best represent the climate system and from difficulties faced in evaluating the relative
merits of complex models. I describe how incompatible climate models are used together in ‘multi-model ensembles’ and explain
why this practice is reasonable, given scientists’ inability to identify a ‘best’ model for predicting future climate. Finally,
I characterize climate model pluralism as involving both an ontic competitive pluralism and a pragmatic integrative pluralism. 相似文献
16.
Diego Meschini 《Foundations of Science》2007,12(4):277-294
The relevance of the Planck scale to a theory of quantum gravity has become a worryingly little examined assumption that goes
unchallenged in the majority of research in this area. However, in all scientific honesty, the significance of Planck’s natural
units in a future physical theory of spacetime is only a plausible, yet by no means certain, assumption. The purpose of this
article is to clearly separate fact from belief in this connection. 相似文献
17.
Nico M. van Straalen 《Foundations of Science》2011,16(4):319-321
Attempts to define life should focus on the transition from molecules to cells and the “closure” aspects of this event. Rather
than classifying existing objects into living and non-living entities I believe the challenge is to understand how the transition
from non-life to life can take place, that is, the how the closure in Jagers op Akkerhuis’s hierarchical classification of
operators, comes about. 相似文献
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Steffen Ducheyne 《Foundations of Science》2006,11(4):419-447
In this paper an analysis of Newton’s argument for universal gravitation is provided. In the past, the complexity of the argument
has not been fully appreciated. Recent authors like George E. Smith and William L. Harper have done a far better job. Nevertheless,
a thorough account of the argument is still lacking. Both authors seem to stress the importance of only one methodological
component. Smith stresses the procedure of approximative deductions backed-up by the laws of motion. Harper stresses “systematic
dependencies” between theoretical parameters and phenomena. I will argue that Newton used a variety of different inferential
strategies: causal parsimony considerations, deductions, demonstrative inductions, abductions and thought-experiments. Each
of these strategies is part of Newton’s famous argument. 相似文献
20.
Pierre Uzan 《Foundations of Science》2010,15(1):1-28
This paper suggests an epistemic interpretation of Belnap’s branching space-times theory based on Everett’s relative state
formulation of the measurement operation in quantum mechanics. The informational branching models of the universe are evolving
structures defined from a partial ordering relation on the set of memory states of the impersonal observer. The totally ordered
set of their information contents defines a linear “time” scale to which the decoherent alternative histories of the informational
universe can be referred—which is quite necessary for assigning them a probability distribution. The “historical” state of
a physical system is represented in an appropriate extended Hilbert space and an algebra of multi-branch operators is developed.
An age operator computes the informational depth of historical states and its standard deviation can be used to provide a
universal information/energy uncertainty relation. An information operator computes the encoding complexity of historical
states, the rate of change of its average value accounting for the process of correlation destruction inherent to the branching
dynamics. In the informational branching models of the universe, the asymmetry of phenomena in nature appears as a mere consequence
of the subject’s activity of measuring, which defines the flow of time-information. 相似文献