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Zusatztext 'the book offers a substantial and stimulating commentary on GFT as an object of philosophical enquiry !!! the book offers a solid! useful and much needed beginning! and is for the most part clearly written and always clearly presented. I urge anyone with an interest in the subject to acquire it.'C.A. Hooker! University of Newcastle! Philosophy of Science Klappentext The contributors approach QFT from a variety of standpoints. Part I offers two different interpretations of the value of studying the foundations of QFT as an area of separate metaphysical research. Parts II and III consider the metaphysical and methodological implications of such issues as the problem of the status of virtual particles; the technique of renormalization; and the role of covariance principles. Part IV examines the mathematical foundations of QFT. Zusammenfassung Quantum field theory is one of the most exciting areas of contemporary physics, posing problems of great theoretical and philosophical interest. This study is a systematic attempt to explore the nature and implications of the theory. Inhaltsverzeichnis Rom Harré & Harvey Brown both of the University of Oxford: Introduction; I. QUANTUM FIELD THEORY AS AN OBJECT OF PHILOSOPHICAL STUDY: TWO VIEWS: Michael Redhead, University of Cambridge: A philosopher looks at quantum field theory; James T. Cushing, University of Notre Dame: Foundational problems in and methodological lessons from quantum field theory; II. THE PROBLEMS OF VIRTUAL PARTICLES AND RENORMALIZATION: Robert Weingard, Rutgers University: Virtual particles and the interpretation of quantum field theory; Rom Harré: Parsing the amplitudes; Paul Teller, University of Illinois: Three problems of renormalization; III. COVARIANCE PRINCIPLES IN QUANTUM FIELD THEORY: Gordon N. Fleming, Pennsylvania State University: Hyperplane-dependent quantized fields and Lorentz invariance; Tian-yu Cao, Trinity College, Cambridge: Gauge theory and the geometrization of fundamental physics; IV. MATHEMATICAL FOUNDATIONS OF QUANTUM FIELD THEORY: Ray F. Streater, King's College, London: Why should anyone want to axiomatize quantum field theory?; Simon Saunders, Wolfson College, Oxford: The algebraic notation of quantum field theory....
