Questions tagged [philosophy-of-physics]
If your question is more physics and less philosophy, consider asking it on Physics.SE (possibly with the soft-question tag).
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Does Multi-World Interpretation really eliminate randomness in quantum mechanics?
As I understood it, the Multi World Interpretation (MWI) was meant to avoid the problem of resorting to randomness, by replacing the random wavefunction collapse in Copenhagen Interpretation with ...
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Falsifiability of Assumptions
Karl Popper maintained that empirical sciences should be based on the principle of falsifiability rather than verifiability for no amount of observations can guarantee veracity but a single ...
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Must physics obey logic?
Must all physical theories conform to the laws of logic, such as being self-consistent? I am asking this because I once had an argument with a friend regarding the physics of time travel. I argued ...
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Question about Boltzmann Brain?
If all the memories contained within a Boltzmann brain were hypothetical, so would be the physical laws that enable its very existence; therefore, a Boltzmann brain wouldn't be able to explain itself?
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Can Mathematics Fully Describe the Universe?
To what extent mathematics can capture all physical phenomena? Drawing an analogy from computer science: finite automata can handle regular expressions (does "(([a-z]))" match "((h))&...
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How to explain the cosmic expansion? [closed]
We know from astrophysics that the cosmos expands, i.e. that all galaxies recede from each other. This fact is confirmed by observation. It can also be obtained as a solution of the Einstein equations....
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Is it possible to simulate a reality like ours using other logic than classical logic?
Are there alternative logical systems that could serve as a foundation for simulating a reality similar to ours, given that non-classical logics such as paraconsistent logic, while applicable in ...
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Books on the philosophy of quantum mechanics
As the title says, I am looking for books on the philosophy of quantum mechanics; more specifically on ontology and or epistemolgy. So far I've found Tim Maudlin's Philosophy of Physics: Quantum ...
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Tautological Many Worlds?
this is my first question here so I hope I'm following the guidelines correctly. I recently found a relatively obscure physicist/philosopher who asserts that the concept of Many Worlds is ...
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Does quantum mechanics rule out the principle of sufficient reason?
The Principle of Sufficient Reason is a philosophical principle stipulating that everything must have a reason, cause, or ground. My question is: does quantum mechanics serve as evidence against it as ...
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Quantum probability theory and the idea of a "truth-value sphere"
A while ago I asked a question about using imaginary numbers as truth-values for a peculiar concept known as "the square root of negation"; I just found out that apparently this concept is ...
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Positivism in search for truth
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positivism
The notion that scientific theories must be tested experimentally is fundamental to the doctrine of positivism, which also requires that theories must always ...
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What kind of physical complexity is related to the axiom of regularity for sets?
Augenstein's exploration in Links between physics and set theory mentions Ulam relating complexity and regularity:
There are several sources for appreciating Ulam’s ideas and interests. A collection ...
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Are there similar theory to Nikolay Bugaev's idea of "emergent morality"?
I need someone's insight to put into perspective the thoughts of an author I discovered only recently. Although this author's idea seems very intuitive - the kind of idea you might have as a child or ...
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Causation in physics
Electromagnetic radiation phenomena exhibit a temporal asymmetry: we observe radiation coherently diverging from a radiating source, such the light emitted by a star, but we do not observe radiation ...
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Are there any sources linking Schopenhauerian metaphysics (will as thing-in-itself) with our contemporary understanding of physics?
I'm especially interested if there are any attempts at reconciling Schopenhauer's metaphysical will with the seeming indeterministic nature of quantum physics. Thank you.
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Can we make nontrivial predictions about the potential future usefulness of specific forms of math, or is it too easy to manipulate math?
This question is motivated by something from the set-theorist Hugh Woodin, a prediction he has made and styled as empirical, according to which a subtheory that he uses will not be shown inconsistent ...
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Models and theories following Cartwright
Nancy Cartwright introduced an interesting distinction in the context of her study of the history of the evolution of our understanding of superconductivity. She emphasized the distinction between ...
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Under metaphysical naturalism, does everything boil down to Physics?
If metaphysical naturalism is true, would that mean that Physics is the ultimate discipline that can sufficiently explain everything, and that all other disciplines, including Chemistry, Biology, ...
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Where does the canon event theory of identity formation come from?
There is an idea in the new Spider-man movie Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, where spider-men through different dimensions have to deal with inter-dimensional problems. In it, one critical part ...
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What would happen if the universe had no global symmetries and conservation laws?
I am asking this question in this site as it involves some philosophy of physics...
I am trying to understand what would happen to the universe if it had no global symmetries (including those that ...
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Is there a level at which energy and matter are indistinguishable?; viz. can space exist without perception?
My larger question is this: "Can (physical) space exist without perception?"
I'm especially interested in a smaller question that I believe addresses the larger question, which is: "Is ...
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What did Kant mean by "pure physics"?
Early in the Prolegomena, Kant says that both pure mathematics and pure physics are examples of a priori cognition. What exactly did he mean by "pure physics"?
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Is it possible for the universe to be deterministic at one level, but not at a higher level?
I know that it is certainly possible for the universe to be stochastic at one level, but deterministic at a higher level. For example, I have read that while quantum mechanics is a stochastic theory, ...
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Is thermodynamics science? [closed]
Areas of science are defined by what they study. Electromagnetism studies electric / magnetic forces, astronomy studies stars etc.
The thing studied by thermodynamics is entropy. What is interesting ...
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Is special relativity immune to the paradox of Achilles?
According to the entry "Proper Time" in Wikipedia, for an object in a SR spacetime traveling with velocity v for a time interval Δ T
c2Δ T 2 = c2 Δτ2 + v 2 Δ T2,
where Δ T is the coordinate ...
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Does the Universe have a boundary? [closed]
We see that the Universe is also called (sky) when Aristotle talks about it.
But I thought about it and I came to the conclusion when someone asked the question about my belief in what Aristotle said ...
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Time as a transition from a whole which is constitutable by each of many sets of parts to the set of parts that generates the shortest path?
Summary:
Any entity E which is constituted by extrinsically indiscernible parts A and B remains extrinsically the same, in all stages of the change, even if A changes to B and B to A (concurrently).
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What is the "fabric" of spacetime if it is not a relational entity?
This is an interdisciplinary (philosophical physics) question.
In Newton's absolute spacetime model, spacetime is described as a physical entity. However, in the relational spacetime model (supported ...
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Are information, matter and energy improper concepts?
In Proper and Improper concepts (1927) Carnap argued for the distinction between proper concepts (the ones that are explicitly defined)
”It is essential to a proper concept that for any object it is ...
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Determinism vs prediction
What is the difference between determinism and predictable. I have heard classical mechanics is both predictable and deterministic , chaos theory is deterministic but unpredictable , quantum mechanics ...
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What is the definition of a physical thing?
Physicalism is the view that only the physical exists. But that raises the question, what is the definition of a physical thing or object? Has any philosopher defined physicality? I would like some ...
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Ballentine on the concept of state (ensemble interpretation of quantum mechanics)
Early in Chapter 2 of Ballentine's Quantum Mechanics, he gives what I will call Statement 1:
The empirical content of a probability statement is revealed only in the relative frequencies in a ...
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Mathematics and the observer in Wolfram Fundamental Physics Project...?
In this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrnteM9E2tI&t=6633s) about mathematics in the Wolfram Physics Project, Stephen Wolfram says at minute 1:49:37 something that seems contradictory:
He ...
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Why are the laws of the universe so perfect and consistent?
First of all, for the premise of this question, let's disregard quantum mechanics and relativity (whose existence is another big question ─ why did either of these very complicated sets of physical ...
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Are there in fact no laws of nature?
Are there in fact no laws of nature? This thought just occurred to me. Let me explain. We call certain true statements about the physical world laws of nature. But maybe the distinction between true ...
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What is a physical quantity in science?
The Wikipedia article on Physical Quantities, says that:
The meaning of the term physical quantity is generally well understood
(everyone understands what is meant by the frequency of a periodic
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Is butterfly effect always happening?
You are sitting at front of house with warm tea. Right when you drinking it with glass, there is vehicle accident at street of front house.
If you didn't drink it at that time before, will the ...
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The mechanistic view, information and thermodynamics?
Consider the following fictional dialogue between a someone A, who holds the view the universe is mechanistic and someone B, who doesn't.
A: Everything that exists in the world is purely physical.
B: ...
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If objective reality does not exist, is the universe different for everyone?
A recent study says that objective reality doesn’t exist and that each persons subjective experience differs. Now I don’t think that the laws of physics work differently for me or anything like that ...
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Does modern physics contradict Aristotelean substances?
In Aristotle's philosophy, physical objects have a substance and accidents. A substance is what the object "really is" and the accidents are things that can change without changing the ...
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Can space be both Euclidean and non-Euclidean, "at the same time"?
It is often said (or implied) that Kant "dropped the ball" when he said that our knowledge of physical space as Euclidean is given to us a priori; but others come to his defense and say that ...
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What are some examples of math that does *not* apply to the real world?
The "unreasonable effectiveness" of mathematics in describing the universe is often mentioned, but what about the sections of math that aren't applicable anywhere in physics at all? and why?
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What did Popper think of the "Many Worlds" interpretation of Quantum Mechanics?
The Everettian, aka Many Worlds, interpretation of Quantum Mechanics states that the wave function of the universe never collapses and evolves according to the plain Schrodinger equation.
When a ...
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Book recommendation for physical philosophy?
I'm searching for books to read on physical philosophy. A book discussing thought experiments, Mach's principle, the equivalence principle, Boltzmann's demon, etc. One which can be read by layman or ...
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Is human thought itself a fundamental force?
To begin with, as far as I understand, there are four well accepted forces of nature:
Gravity
Weak interaction
Strong interaction
Electromagnetism
Now, these forces are all characterized by changing ...
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Do irreversible thermodynamic processes CONSTITUTE time, or do they MOVE IN time?
This question was closed as being opinion-based on the physics site. So I thought, time being a popular subject in philosophy, to ask it here and find out about some philosophical opinions.
Time can ...
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Platonism in modern philosophy of physics: Stephen Wolfram and Max Tegmark ideas
Recently, Stephen Wolfram wrote an interesting article about his proposed relationship between maths and physics (https://writings.stephenwolfram.com/2022/03/the-physicalization-of-metamathematics-and-...
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We know Classical Mechanics is wrong. But can we also say every other theory is wrong except the Theory of Everything?
Classical Mechanics (CM) or Quantum Mechanics (QM) is technically wrong. That doesn't mean they are irrelevant or have less significance, but they are wrong regardless of how accurate they are. Can we ...
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On physical existence. Do virtual particles of QFT exist?
Existence is a polysemic and difficult word to define. Almost certainly numbers (and other well-defined mathematical objects) exist in a different way than a real physical object (the chair I sit in, ...
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