Kuhlmann The Ultimate Constituents of the Material World

In Search of an Ontology for Fundamental Physics
1. Auflage 2013
ISBN: 978-3-11-032612-3
Verlag: De Gruyter
Format: PDF
Kopierschutz: Adobe DRM (»Systemvoraussetzungen)

E-Book, Englisch, Band 37, 274 Seiten

Reihe: Philosophische Analyse / Philosophical Analysis

Today, quantum field theory (QFT)—the mathematical and conceptual framework for contemporary elementary particle physics—is the best starting point for analysing the fundamental building blocks of the material world. QFT if taken seriously in its metaphysical implications yields a picture of the world that is at variance with central classical conceptions. The core of Kuhlmann’s investigation consists in the analysis of various ontological interpretations of QFT, e.g. substance ontologies as well as a process-ontological approach. Eventually, Kuhlmann proposes a dispositional trope ontology, according to which particularized properties and not things are the most basic entities, in terms of which all other entities are to be analysed, e.g as bundles of properties. This book was chosen for the 2009 ontos-Award for research on analytical ontology and metaphysics by the German Society for Analytical Philosophy.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Kuhlmann, Meinard

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Philosophie Philosophie der Mathematik, Philosophie der Physik
• Geisteswissenschaften Philosophie Wissenschaftstheorie, Wissenschaftsphilosophie
• Naturwissenschaften Physik Quantenphysik

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Frontmatter
Contents
Preface
Part I. Ontology and Quantum Field Theory
1. Introduction
2. Philosophical Background
3. Ontology and Physics
4. History and Basic Structure of QFT
5. Alternative Approaches
6. The Ontological Significance of QFT and AQFT
Part II. Classical Ontologies
7. Classical vs. Revisionary Ontologies
8. Particle Interpretation of QFT
9. Field Interpretations of QFT
Part III. Revisionary Ontologies
10. Process Ontology
11. Trope Ontology I: The Ontological
12. Trope Ontology II: Properties and Things
Part IV. The Trope Bundle Interpretation of QFT: A New Ontology for Fundamental Physics
13. Dispositional Trope Ontology
Part V. Concluding Remarks
14. Physics and Philosophy
15. Summing Up
Part VI. Appendices
Abbreviations and Notation
A. Special Relativity Theory: Some Notation and Required Results
B. Ontologically Oriented Survey of Quantum Mechanics
C. Advanced Foundational Topics in QFT
D. Assumptions and Results of AQFT
Bibliography
Physics (and Mathematics) Glossary
Philosophy Glossary
Backmatter