Introduction to the Philosophy of Physics

Marc Lange is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Washington. He is author of Natural Laws in Scientific Practice (2000).

• Preface vi1 What is Spatiotemporal Locality? 11 The Big Picture 12 Causal Relations between Events 33 Action by Contact 74 Spatial, Temporal, and Spatiotemporal Locality Defined 135 Intrinsic Properties and Noncausal Connections 17Discussion Questions 23Notes 242 Fields to the Rescue? 261 The Electric Force 262 The Electric Field and its Possible Interpretations 323 Potentials 424 Lines of Force 47Discussion Questions 61Notes 653 Dispositions and Causes 671 Introduction 672 Dispositions, Categorical Bases, and Subjunctive Conditionals 713 Are the Categorical Bases in Themselves Unknowable? 79Discussion Questions 90Notes 924 Locality and Scientific Explanation 941 Is Action at a Distance Impossible? 942 Brute Facts and Ultimate Explanations 953 Which Facts are Brute? 100Discussion Questions 107Notes 1105 Fields, Energy, and Momentum 1111 Introduction 1112 The Argument from Conserved Quantities 1123 Why Energy’s Ontological Status Matters 1204 Energy in Classical Physics 1255 Energy in the Fields 1316 Energy Flow and the Poynting Vector 1367 A Moral Regarding the Testability of Theories 153Discussion Questions 157Notes 1626 Is there Nothing but Fields? 1651 Is Electric Charge Real? 1652 Faraday’s Picture 167Discussion Questions 171Notes 1737 Relativity and the Unification of Electricity and Magnetism 1751 Unification in Physics 1752 How Relativity Unifies Electricity and Magnetism 1803 Einstein’s Argument from Asymmetry 1864 The Interdependence of Philosophy and Physics 199Discussion Questions 201Notes 2038 Relativity, Energy, Mass, and the Reality of Fields 2051 Classical Physics and the “Relativity of Motion” 2062 Relativistic Invariants and the Unification that Relativity Achieves: Space and Time 2103 Relativistic Invariants and the Unification that Relativity Achieves: Energy and Momentum 2214 Mass and the Meaning of “e = mc2 ” 2245 Fields – At Last! 2406 Erasing the Line between Scientific Theory and its Philosophical Interpretation 249Discussion Questions 250Notes 2529 Quantum Metaphysics 2551 Is Quantum Mechanics Complete? 2552 The Bell Inequalities 2633 For Whom the Bell Tolls 2714 Wrestling with Nonlocality 280Discussion Questions 298Notes 300Final Exam 302References 305Index 316

"Marc Lange uses the philosophical tools of traditional metaphysics to analyze examples drawn from electromagnetic theory and quantum mechanics and in turn uses these examples to refine some of the basic concepts of traditional metaphysics. The result is an excellent introduction to the best sort of metaphysics, the sort that is informed by our best physical theories." Jeffrey Barrett, University of California, Irvine "This is philosophy of physics that meets even Feynman's challenge of making a difference for physics while it attains Hempel's standards of clarity. I can hardly imagine teaching the philosophy of physics, at any level, from introductory to graduate seminar, without using this book!" Alex Rosenberg, Duke University "Eschewing the technical jargon of philosophy of science, though he is a fluent contributor to journals and refers to current issues in appropriate notes, Lange employs a breezy, common language style, complete with discussion questions suitable for an undergraduate introductory class. [...] Highly recommended to philosphically inexperienced physicists as well as current students in philosophy of science. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty." P.D. Skiff, Bard College, Choice, January 2003 "An accomplished philosopher of science, Lange introduces the epistemological consequences of a central idea in physics - locality ... Eschewing the technical jargon of philosophy of science, though he is a fluent contributor to journals and feres to current issues in appropriate notes, Lange employs a breezy, commom language style, complete with discussion questions suitable for an undergraduate introductory class ... his introduction to the issues via concrete example is very effective and unique. Highly recommended to philosophically inexperienced physicists as well as current students in philosophy of science." Choice