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Author: Wolfgang Stegmüller
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3662016710
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 297
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Book Description
The first part of this book, Part I, can be read from two quite distinct points of view: one, as an attempt to develop and defend the important aspects of an entirely new approach to the analysis of the structure of scientific the ories; and second, as the source of the conceptual apparatus needed for the analysis of theory dynamics and the metascientific reconstruction of T. S. Kuhn's notions of 'normal science' and 'scientific revolutions. ' In the last few years a great deal has been written about Kuhnian 'irra tionalism' and 'relativism. ' Most writers felt that they must combat it; a few thought that they must develop it further and deploy it propagandistically against a 'logic of science. ' According to the view developed in Part II of this book, both parties are on the wrong track. As far as irrationalism is concerned, it must be said that Kuhn's position itself cannot be characterized as 'irrational' in any reasonable sense of the word. His language is much too clear, and his examples are historically too well founded. (He is thoroughly aware of his frequent use of metaphorical language which, as can also be shown, is his prerogative. ) Without precedent in his work is the fact that he appears to impute irrational behavior to the practioners of the exact natural sciences (of all people!).
Author: Wolfgang Stegmüller
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3662016710
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 297
Get Book Here
Book Description
The first part of this book, Part I, can be read from two quite distinct points of view: one, as an attempt to develop and defend the important aspects of an entirely new approach to the analysis of the structure of scientific the ories; and second, as the source of the conceptual apparatus needed for the analysis of theory dynamics and the metascientific reconstruction of T. S. Kuhn's notions of 'normal science' and 'scientific revolutions. ' In the last few years a great deal has been written about Kuhnian 'irra tionalism' and 'relativism. ' Most writers felt that they must combat it; a few thought that they must develop it further and deploy it propagandistically against a 'logic of science. ' According to the view developed in Part II of this book, both parties are on the wrong track. As far as irrationalism is concerned, it must be said that Kuhn's position itself cannot be characterized as 'irrational' in any reasonable sense of the word. His language is much too clear, and his examples are historically too well founded. (He is thoroughly aware of his frequent use of metaphorical language which, as can also be shown, is his prerogative. ) Without precedent in his work is the fact that he appears to impute irrational behavior to the practioners of the exact natural sciences (of all people!).
Author: Wolfgang Stegmüller
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3642953603
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 109
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Book Description
The present text originated with the intention of writing a brief reply to Feyerabend's detailed discussion of my book The Structure and Dynamics of Theories. For reasons explained in the Introduction this turned out to be an impossible undertaking. What resulted was a self-contained new approach to the structuralist view, combined with an attempt to bring it up to date by including a report on the latest developments. As matters stand it would have been unreasonable and unfair of me to ask the editors of The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science to publish this text which exceeds by far the size of an average essay. Thus, a separate publication seemed advisable. I am deeply indebted to Springer-Verlag for making this publication possible. Since the publication of the above-mentioned book I have learned a lot from the works, partly unpublished, of Professor Joseph D. Sneed, Professor Carlos Ulises Moulines, and Dr. Wolfgang Balzer. I should like to thank my co-workers Dr. Wolfgang Balzer and Dr. Matthias Varga von Kibed and my student Michael Heidelberger for many constructive, critical remarks on the first draft of the manuscript and, in addition, Dr. Balzer for collecting and orga nizing the material for the Formal Appendix. Last, but not least, I express my warm thanks to Mrs. Clara Seneca, Oldenburg, and Mr. Roberto Minio, Springer Verlag, for amending my English formulations. V Table of Contents Introduction ....................................... .
Author: Martin T. Dove
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 9780198506782
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 364
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Book Description
This book describes how the arrangement and movement of atoms in a solid are related to the forces between atoms, and how they affect the behaviour and properties of materials. The book is intended for final year undergraduate students and graduate students in physics and materials science.
Author: Niels E. Henriksen
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN: 0199203865
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 391
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Book Description
This book deals with a central topic at the interface of chemistry and physics - the understanding of how the transformation of matter takes place at the atomic level. Building on the laws of physics, the book focuses on the theoretical framework for predicting the outcome of chemical reactions. The style is highly systematic with attention to basic concepts and clarity of presentation. Molecular reaction dynamics is about the detailed atomic-level description of chemical reactions. Based on quantum mechanics and statistical mechanics or, as an approximation, classical mechanics, the dynamics of uni- and bi-molecular elementary reactions are described. The book features a detailed presentation of transition-state theory which plays an important role in practice, and a comprehensive discussion of basic theories of reaction dynamics in condensed phases. Examples and end-of-chapter problems are included in order to illustrate the theory and its connection to chemical problems.
Author: Marc Barthelemy
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1107109175
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 281
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Book Description
Presents a modern and interdisciplinary perspective on cities that combines new data with tools from statistical physics and urban economics.
Author: David Kaiser
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISBN: 0226422658
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 490
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Book Description
Winner of the 2007 Pfizer Prize from the History of Science Society. Feynman diagrams have revolutionized nearly every aspect of theoretical physics since the middle of the twentieth century. Introduced by the American physicist Richard Feynman (1918-88) soon after World War II as a means of simplifying lengthy calculations in quantum electrodynamics, they soon gained adherents in many branches of the discipline. Yet as new physicists adopted the tiny line drawings, they also adapted the diagrams and introduced their own interpretations. Drawing Theories Apart traces how generations of young theorists learned to frame their research in terms of the diagrams—and how both the diagrams and their users were molded in the process. Drawing on rich archival materials, interviews, and more than five hundred scientific articles from the period, Drawing Theories Apart uses the Feynman diagrams as a means to explore the development of American postwar physics. By focusing on the ways young physicists learned new calculational skills, David Kaiser frames his story around the crafting and stabilizing of the basic tools in the physicist's kit—thus offering the first book to follow the diagrams once they left Feynman's hands and entered the physics vernacular.
Author: Martin Williams
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 1482266008
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 279
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Book Description
Dynamics is increasingly being identified by consulting engineers as one of the key skills which needs to be taught in civil engineering degree programs. This is driven by the trend towards lighter, more vibration-prone structures, the growth of business in earthquake regions, the identification of new threats such as terrorist attack and the increased availability of sophisticated dynamic analysis tools. Martin Williams presents this short, accessible introduction to the area of structural dynamics. He begins by describing dynamic systems and their representation for analytical purposes. The two main chapters deal with linear analysis of single (SDOF) and multi-degree-of-freedom (MDOF) systems, under free vibration and in response to a variety of forcing functions. Hand analysis of continuous systems is covered briefly to illustrate the key principles. Methods of calculation of non-linear dynamic response is also discussed. Lastly, the key principles of random vibration analysis are presented – this approach is crucial for wind engineering and is increasingly important for other load cases. An appendix briefly summarizes relevant mathematical techniques. Extensive use is made of worked examples, mostly drawn from civil engineering (though not exclusively – there is considerable benefit to be gained from emphasizing the commonality with other branches of engineering). This introductory dynamics textbook is aimed at upper level civil engineering undergraduates and those starting an M.Sc. course in the area.
Author: Carl F. von Weizsäcker
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 1402052359
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 390
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Book Description
The book is a newly arranged and revised English version of "Aufbau der Physik" by Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker. Some original chapters and sections have been deleted, and a new chapter about further insights and results of ur-theoretic research of the late 1980’s and 1990’s has been included. Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker combines the perspectives of science, philosophy, religion and politics with a view towards the challenges as well as the responsibilities of our time.
Author: Thomas S. Kuhn
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 199
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Book Description
Author: Julian B. Barbour
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 9780195351101
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 778
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Book Description
Ever since Newton created dynamics, there has been controversy about its foundations. Are space and time absolute? Do they form a rigid but invisible framework and container of the universe? Or are space, time, and motion relative? If so, does Newton's 'framework' arise through the influence of the universe at large, as Ernst Mach suggested? Einstein's aim when creating his general theory of relativity was to demonstrate this and thereby implement 'Mach's Principle'. However, it is widely believed that he achieved only partial success. This question of whether motion is absolute or relative has been a central issues in philosophy; the nature of time has perennial interest. Current attempts to create a quantum description of the whole universe keep these issues at the cutting edge of modern research. Written by the world's leading expert on Mach's Principle, The Discovery of Dynamics is a highly original account of the development of notions about space, time, and motion. Widely praised in its hardback version, it is one of the fullest and most readable accounts of the astronomical studies that culminated in Kepler's laws of planetary motion and of the creation of dynamics by Galileo, Descartes, Huygens, and Newton. Originally published as Absolute or Relative Motion?, Vol. 1: The Discovery of Dynamics (Cambridge), The Discovery of Dynamics provides the technical background to Barbour's recently published The End of Time, in which he argues that time disappears from the description of the quantum universe.
