The Philosophy of Symmetry

"This Element is a concise, high-level introduction to the philosophy of physical symmetry. It begins with the notion of physical representation (the kind of empirical representation of nature that we effect in doing physics), and then lays out the historically and conceptually central case of physical symmetry that frequently falls under the rubric of "the Relativity Principle", or "Galileo's Ship". This material is then used as a point of departure to explore the key hermeneutic challenge concerning physical symmetry in the last century, namely understanding the physical significance of the notion of "local" gauge symmetry. The approach taken stresses both the continuity with historically important themes such as the Relativity Principle, as well as novel insights earned by working with contemporary media such as the covariant phase space and derived critical locus formalisms"--

List of contents

1. Introduction; 2. Physical representation; 3. Physical symmetry; 4. The hermeneutics of symmetry; 5. Symmetry à la Noether; 6. The subject resolved; References.

Summary

This Element introduces the philosophy of physical symmetry. It stresses both the continuity with historically important themes such as the Relativity Principle, as well as novel insights earned by working with contemporary media such as the covariant phase space and derived critical locus formalisms.

Product details

• Authors: Nicholas Joshua Yii Wye Teh
• Publisher: Cambridge Academic
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 30.06.2024
• EAN: 9781009005043
• ISBN: 978-1-00-900504-3
• Dimensions: 150 mm x 230 mm x 5 mm
• Weight: 146 g
• Illustrations: Worked examples or Exercises
• Series: Elements in the Philosophy of Physics
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Natural sciences (general); SCIENCE / Philosophy & Social Aspects, Philosophy of Science, Classical mechanics, Relativity physics