Exploring the Fascinating World of Philosophy of Physics at Oxford University
Dive into the captivating realm of Philosophy of Physics with insights on Epistemology, Metaphysics, Philosophy of Science, scientific methods, and philosophical perspectives on specific sciences. Delve into the intricate discussions on space, time, gravity, Quantum theory, and cosmology at Oxford, featuring renowned philosophers and their interpretations of space and relationalism.
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Why Philosophy of Physics is Awesome! Niels Martens DPhil Candidate Philosophy of Physics Oxford University
Epistemology Metaphysics Philosophy of Science Specific sciences Specific sciences Scientific method (Anti)-realism Phil of Physics Phil of Mind Phil of Biology Phil of Mathematics Phil of Physics Thermodynamics/ Statistical Mechanics Gravity, Space, Time & Space-time Quantum (info)
Philosophy @ Oxford Philosophy, Politics & Economics Philosophy & Theology Psychology, Philosophy & Linguistics Philosophy & Modern Languages Classics Mathematics & Philosophy Computer Science & Philosophy Physics & Philosophy
Philosophy of Space Is space real? Einstein s Relativity Theory Time slows down! Space contracts! Cosmology/Big Bang Emergent Space(time)
Leibniz-Clarke Correspondence Newton Leibniz Clarke SUBSTANTIVALISM RELATIONALISM All talk about space is reducible to talk about relations between particles Compare with family relations Space exists! It makes sense to talk about empty space Even if there is no play tonight, the theatre is still there
Leibniz shifts: space must be relational Principle of Sufficient Reason
Immanuel Kant: Lets use your left and right hands There is a difference between your right and left hand The relationalist explains the different handedness of two objects via relations What about a single hand in an empty universe?
Newtons bucket: lets look at science! Ernst Mach The relative motion between bucket and water is the same in picture 1 and 3, but the relative motion with respect to the stars is not! Problem: physics becomes nonlocal
Philosophy of Quantum Mechanics Metaphysics: What does the world look like according to quantum mechanics? Quantum information Probability/determinism/free will
Interpreting Quantum Mechanics Does light (and everything else in the world) consist of particles? Or waves? Photo-electric effect (Einstein Nobel Price): particles Double split experiment: waves
Double slit experiment Does each photon (light particle) go through both slits at the same time? Can we measure which slit it goes through? Even if you only send one photon through the slits, we still get a (probabilistic) interference pattern! Photons are waves (and electrons, and protons, and all other matter) You cannot say that there is a localised particle that goes through one of the two slits: there is a wave that goes through both slits: the photon is in a SUPERPOSITION of going through the left and the right slit at the same time
This is absurd! So, at the smallest scale, our world consists of quantum waves: light, electrons, protons, everything is a quantum wave, meaning that the `particles are at several places at the same time. Schr dinger (Magdalen College Alumnus): This cannot be true. If it would be true, it should also apply to large objects (since they are made up out of small objects), and it would be absurd to have a large object - like a table - being here and somewhere else at the same time! We never see tables in superpositions!
Ways out Instrumentalism (or the shut-up-and-calculate school) Measurement `collapses the wavefunction If you measure with a big apparatus, you will find the particle or cat in one specific location/state: the probability of that location/state depends on how big the wave is at that point. Consciousness `collapses the wavefunction Pilot-wave theory Many-worlds interpretation
