Minimalist Ontology of the Natural World

Michael Esfeld is full professor of philosophy of science at the University of Lausanne since 2002. His last book with Routledge is Conservative reductionism (with Christian Sachse) (2008).Dirk-André Deckert is leader of the junior research group «Interaction of Light and Matter» in the Mathematical Institute of Ludwig Maximilians University Munich. Book publication Electromagnetic absorber theory – a mathematical study (2010).

• 1. Introduction2. Matter Points and their Dynamics3. Minimalist Ontology and Dynamical Structure in Classical and Quantum Mechanics4. A Persistent Particle Ontology for Quantum Field Theory5. Relationalism for Retativisitc Physics

"This book is an extremely welcome presentation of a minimalist metaphysics, systematically worked out in great detail and carefully tied to novel work in the foundations of physics . . . Humeans owe Esfeld and Deckert a great debt for pursuing in such detail a position that answers so many of their challenges." – George Darby, Durham University, UK"There is much to admire in this book. As a rigorous and systematic physics-oriented presentation of an austere empiricist fundamental metaphysics, it has no real rivals. The clarity with which the overall vision is presented will provide a valuable stalking-horse for those who would defend less austere approaches in the future. Esfeld and Deckert never shy away from the radical consequences of their approach or try to disguise its revisionary nature." – Alastair Wilson, University of Birmingham, UK"Unquestionably, this book is highly original, thought provoking, and sure to open up many new research venues. It wets the appetite for more, which we have every reason to believe will follow from the authors." - Anna Marmodoro, University of Oxford, UK"The book is definitely to be recommended to all those interested in metaphysical questions concerning objects, properties, identity, space, and time, and/or in the interpretation of contemporary physics. Both advanced students and researchers working in metaphysics and the philosophy of physics are likely to benefit from reading it, if only because in doing so, whether or not they agree with the authors, they will be forced to think carefully about many fascinating issues concerning the ultimate nature of physical reality." – Matteo Morganti in the British Journal for the Philosophy of Science Review of Books