Putting the Fire in the Equations;    Generating multilevel dynamical processes in Physics and Psychology

 

GS Home Philosophy of Nature and Quantum Reality Ian J. Thompson Department of Physics University of Surrey   Preface Contents 1. Prospects for a Philosophy of Nature Accommodating Quantum Physics The Philosophy of Nature 2. Dispositions 2.1 Everyday Dispositions Propensities: Probabilistic Dispositions Questions of Meaning 2.2 Derivative Dispositions 2.3 Are Dispositions Real? 2.4 Scientific Explanation of Dispositions 2.5 Are Bases ultimately Dispositional, or Non-dispositional? 2.6 Objections to Dispositional Bases (1) Apparent success of structural explanations (2) The basis of any observed property must be an actual occurrent feature (3) No logical connections between separate existences (Hume) (4) Dispositions are essentially relational (Locke) Summary 3. Problems in Classical Physics Can Physics do Without Causal Powers? 3.1 Newtonian Physics 3.2 Descartes and Leibniz 3.3 Aristotle's Physics 3.4 Dispositions in Mathematical Physics 4. The Peculiarities of Quantum Physics 4.1 Classical and Quantum Dispositions 4.2 Quantum Experiments 4.3 Quantum Ontologies 1. Ontology of Events 2. Ontology of Particles 3. Ontology of Waves 4. Ontology of Wave-particle Complementarity 5. Ontology of Propensities 4.4 The Problem of Measurements Measurement by Observations Measurement by Consciousnesses Measurement by Actualising No Special `Measurements' What to do? 5. Reconsidering Philosophical Foundations A Realist Philosophy of Nature 6. Actuality 6.1 On What Can Be Actual Purely Actual Particulars Changeless Actualities 6.2 Finite or Infinite? Infinity in Mathematics Finitism Redefining the Finite Potential Infinities The Mathematics of Possibility Semantics of Set Theory Continuity 6.3 Choices for Pure Actuality Actualities are not substances or everyday objects Newtonian corpuscles cannot be actual Nothing fixed in spacetime Actualities are not the instantaneous-present states of objects Not extended processes Not indivisible events A `strand of history' is not actual Actuality is not space or spacetime itself Actuality could be a stage in an object Actualities could be past events Meaning of term `past-event' 7. Potentiality 7.1 Change as Actualising Kinesis Parmenides' arguments Do potential trees really exist? Can potentialities themselves be objects? Is Change (Kinesis) Now Intelligible? 7.2 The Analysis of Actualising (Kinesis) 7.3 Kinds of Potentialities 8. A Theory of Space and Time 8.1 Possibilities as Places in Space and Time Point Places in Which Space? On Real Possibilities 8.2 Extensiveness, Space and Time Extensiveness and the Extensive Continuum Metrics Momentum Space? 8.3 Past and Future McTaggart's Argument Time as the B-series Time as Becoming 8.4 Process Time No Universal Serial Time Local Process Times? 8.5 One Global Process Time? 1. Some Observer's Legal Time? 2. Centre-of-mass of the universe? 3. General Spacelike Hypersurfaces? 4. Contingent Actualising? Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking 8.6 Necessary and Contingent Ordering Appearance of a `Current Space' Appearance of a `Global Process Time' What Difference the Order Makes Conclusion: Actualisation and Special Relativity 9. A Theory of Substance 9.1 Traditional Views of Substances 9.2 Propensity Fields 9.3 Continuants (Substances) Which Endure Through Change? 9.3.1 Unchanging Continuants 9.3.2 Changeable Continuants 9.4 Questions about Substances 9.4.1 Individuals 9.4.2 Matter and Form: Subject and Predicate Knowability of Matter/Propensity and Form Prime Matter? 9.4.3 On Real Essences 9.4.4 Elements 9.4.5 On Time and Change 10. Quantum Substances 10.1 Classical and Quantum Theories 10.2 Probabilities and Propensities Heisenberg Propensitons 10.3 Waves, Particles and Complementarity Wave Behaviour? Particle Behaviour? Complementarity? Two-Slit Experiment Superpositions and Mixtures Summary 10.4 Measuring as Actualising Irreversible Processes 10.5 Nonlocalities 11. Two Stages of Propensities 11.1 Point Events Can all interactions be actual events? Point localisations of the $\Psi$ function? 11.2 Actual and Virtual Events as Distinct Two Stages of Propensities and Events Actual Events as Selections Virtual Events 11.3 `Gauge' Invariances 1. Equivalent Configuration Spaces 2. Equivalent Phases and Potential Gauges 3. Equivalent `Infinitesimal' Sizes of Virtual Events 4. Equivalent Exchanges of Identical Particles Summary 11.4 Quantum Substances 12. Measurements and Other Actualisations 12.1 The Problem of Measurement 12.2 Objective Actualisation - some proposals 12.2.1 Simple schemes 1. Actuality from present or future connections to our senses 2. Actuality from Composite Objects 3. Actuality from Macroscopic Objects 4. Actuality from Alternative Interactions 5. Actuality from Irreversible Interactions 6. Actuality from Superpositions not inter-transformable 7. Actuality from no general characteristic 8. Actuality from point localisations in space and time 12.2.2 Schematic Proposals 1. Actualisations outside a `correlation length' 2. Actualisations from some `effective temperature' 3. Actualisations as localisation to gaussians wave-packets 4. Actualisations from logarithmic terms in Schrödinger's equation 5. Actualisations from statistical fluctuations in the Hamiltonian 12.2.3 Quantitative Proposals 1. Actualisations from energy differences 2. Actualisations from inelastic energy differences 3. Actualisations from gravitational differences Comments 12.3 Mind-dependent Actualisation - some proposals 12.4 Conclusions 13. Summary of the Argument 13.1 General Process Logic 13.2 When actualities at points in ordinary space and time 13.3 When actualities are selections of alternatives References Index About this document ...

    

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Author: I.J. Thompson (except as stated)

Email: Ian@generativescience.org