The Direction of TimeUniversity of California Press, 1991 - 280 Seiten Internationally known for his work in the theory of probability, symbolic logic, analysis of space and time, and philosophical problems of quantum physics, Hans Reichenbach (1891-1953) was one of the twentieth century's most incisive philosophers of science. In this, his last book, first published in 1956, he brought all his previous research and insight to bear on the most intractable and intriguing problem in physics: the elusive nature of time. This far-sighted work of philosophy illuminates the metaphysical questions with which contemporary researchers in cosmology and particle physics must contend. Arguing as he did throughout his career that developments in scientific knowledge must influence philosophy, Reichenbach shows how completely the Kantian a priori--and many of our most basic intuitions about the structure of space and time--are undermined by twentieth-century physics. He shows how the philosophical understanding of time is necessary to understanding contemporary problems of cosmology. This new edition of The Direction of Time, published in the year of Reichenbach's centennial, includes an introduction by Hilary Putnam, one of Reichenbach's most eminent students, describing the metaphysical assumptions and arguments embedded in Reichenbach's philosophy, and their importance for the development of contemporary philosophy pf science. |
Inhalt
| 1 | |
| 4 | |
| 19 | |
| 49 | |
| 56 | |
| 65 | |
| 72 | |
Determinism Versus Indeterminism in Classical | 82 |
Entropy and Information | 167 |
The Time Direction of Information and | 178 |
The Mark Principle and Causal Relevance | 197 |
The Time of Quantum Physics | 206 |
The Statistical Reversibility of the Elementary Processes of Quantum Mechanics | 207 |
The Indeterminism of Quantum Mechanics | 211 |
The Genidentity of Quantum Particles | 224 |
The Entropy Concept of Quantum Statistics | 236 |
The Probability Lattice | 96 |
The Reversibility Objection | 108 |
The Time Direction of the Space Ensemble | 117 |
The Sectional Nature of Time Direction | 125 |
The Hypothesis of the Branch Structure | 143 |
Producing and Recording | 149 |
The Principle of the Common Cause | 157 |
Extension of Quantum Statistics to Different Energy Levels | 249 |
Particles Vanishing into Nonexistence | 259 |
Particles Traveling Backward in Time | 262 |
Appendix | 269 |
Index | 271 |
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A₁ aftereffect arrangements assume assumption ball Boltzmann Bose statistics Bose-Einstein statistics branch systems causal anomalies causal chain causal laws causal lines cells classical physics column common cause compartments concept condition constant convergence defined definition derived determinism direction distribution energy level entropy curve equal equations ergodic hypothesis existence expressed fact Fermi-Dirac statistics flow follows formulated frequency future given Hans Reichenbach Heraclitus hypothesis inference instance interaction interpretation irreversible Kant kind lattice lattice invariance logical low entropy macrostate material genidentity mathematical Maxwell-Boltzmann statistics means merely molecules observe occupation numbers occur P₁ Parmenides particles past philosophy physical laws positive possible prediction prob probability metric problem quantum mechanics quantum physics reference regarded registering instrument Reichenbach relation result reversible processes rows satisfied schema sequence space ensemble spatial speak statement t₁ theory theory of relativity thermodynamics tion velocity world lines Zeno's paradoxes