Philosophy Intermediate of Physics
O Pooley, HT
Inertial Frames and Newtons Laws of Motion
What is the empirical content of Newtons laws? In answering, you might consider the following, speci c questions: Is the notion of an inertial frame de ned by Newtons st law? How should force-free be understood as it occurs in Newtons st law? Is Newtons nd law a de nition of force?
Core reading
R. DiSalle, Space and Time: Inertial Frames, e Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Edward N. Zalta (ed.), esp. . . , http://www.seop.leeds.ac.uk/entries/spacetime-iframes/. R. Lindsay and H. Margenau, Foundations of Physics (Wiley, E. Nagel, J. Barbour, e Structure of Science (Hackett, e End of Time, Ch. . ), pp. . ), pp. .
Further reading
B. Ellis, e Origin and Nature of Newtons Laws of Motion, in Beyond the edge of certainty: Essays in contemporary science of philosophy (Prentice Hall, ), pp. .
Intermediate Philosophy of Physics
O Pooley, HT
e Principle of Relativity
State the principle of relativity as clearly as you can and examine its role in Einsteins derivation of the Lorentz transformations. In particular, can you explain how such a dynamical principle has implications for kinematics?
Core reading
A. Einstein, On the electrodynamics of moving bodies, Part , , in Lorentz, Einstein, et al., e Principle of Relativity (Dover, ). An alternative translation can be found in A. I. Miller, Albert Einsteins special theory of relativity (AddisonWesley, ). It is also available online: http://www.fourmilab.ch/etexts/einstein/specrel/www/. R. Torretti, e Philosophy of Physics (CUP, ), pp. . H. R. Brown, Physical Relativity (OUP, ), Chs and , .
Further reading
R. Torretti, Relativity and Geometry (Pergamon, . ; Dover, ), Ch. , esp. ),
M. Freidman, Foundations of Space-Time eories (Princeton University Press, Ch. , ( and maybe necessary background).
H. R. Brown and R. Sypel, On the meaning of the relativity principle and other symmetries, International Studies in the Philosophy of Science ( ): , esp. & . (An o print is available in the philosophy library.) H. R. Brown and O. Pooley, e origin of the spacetime metric: Bells Lorentzian pedagogy and its signi cance in general relativity, , in Callender and Huggett (eds), Physics Meets Philosophy at the Planck Scale (CUP, ), pp. , . E-print: gr-qc/ .
Intermediate Philosophy of Physics
O Pooley, HT
e Twin Paradox
Why might clock retardation, the e ect at the heart of the twin paradox, appear paradoxical? Can it be explained within the con nes of special relativity? If so, how? If not, why not?
Core reading
W. Rindler, Essential . Relativity, R. Angel, Relativity: . G. Nerlich, e (pp. ). (pp. ). ), pp. ), pp. . W. Rindler, Introduction to Special Relativity,
eory and its Philosophy (Pergamon Press,
J. Lucas & P. Hodgson, Spacetime and Electromagnetism (OUP, e Shape of Space, nd edn (CUP, ), Ch. , .
M. Weiss, e Twin Paradox: a contribution to Usenet Physics FAQ, http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/physics/index.html. T. A. Debs & M. L. G. Redhead, e twin paradox and the conventionality of simultaneity, American Journal of Physics ( ): .
Further reading
H. R. Brown, Physical Relativity (OUP, nical background). ), pp. (see also pp. as tech), pp.
L. Sklar, Space, Time and Spacetime, (University of California Press, . W. Salmon, Space, Time and Motion, Ch. , esp. pp. R. Torretti, Relativity and Geometry, (Pergamon, . ), pp. ; Dover
.
J. D. Barrow & J. Levin, Twin paradox in compact spaces, Physical Review A ( ). C. H. Brans & D. R. Stewart, Unaccelerated-Returning-Twin Paradox in Flat SpaceTime, Physical Review D ( ): . C. E. Dolby & S. F. Gull, On radar time and the twin paradox , American Journal of Physics ( ): . A. Eagle, A note on Dolby and Gull on radar time and the twin paradox , American Journal of Physics ( ): .
Intermediate Philosophy of Physics
O Pooley, HT
Geometry and Explanation
Does the geometry of spacetime (as speci ed by the Minkowski metric) play an explanatory role in special relativity? Distinguish between constructive and principle theories. Do they di er in explanatory power? What is the constructive version of sp...