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The Probability Map of the Universe
Essays on David Albertβs Time and Chance
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See moreDavid Albertβs 2000 book Time and Chance attempts to account for some of the most intractable problems in theoretical physics, in particular those arising from the direction of time. This collection assembles essays exploring and debating Albertβs ideas, now recognized as among the most important recent contributions to the philosophy of science.
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
still learning, it may not be perfect - your
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Description
Philosophers debate the ideas and implications of one of the most important contemporary works in the philosophy of science, David Albert's Time and Chance.
In the twenty-odd years since its publication, David Albert's Time and Chance has been recognised as one of the most significant contemporary contributions to the philosophy of science. Here, philosophers and physicists explore the implications of Albert's arguments and debate his solutions to some of the most intractable problems in theoretical physics.
Albert has attempted to make sense of the tension between our best scientific pictures of the fundamental physical structure of the world and our everyday empirical experience of that world. In particular, he is concerned with problems arising from causality and the direction of time: defying common sense, almost all our basic scientific ideas suggest that whatever can happen can just as naturally happen in reverse.
Focusing on Newtonian mechanics, Albert provides a systematic account of the temporal irreversibility of the Second Law of Thermodynamics, the asymmetries in our epistemic access to the past and the future, and our conviction that by acting now we can affect the future but not the past. He also generalises the Newtonian picture to the quantum-mechanical case and suggests a deep potential connection between the problem of the direction of time and the quantum-mechanical measurement problem.
The essays included in The Probability Map of the Universe develop, explore, and critique this account, while Albert himself replies. The result is an insightful discussion of the foundations of statistical mechanics and its relation to cosmology, the direction of time, and the metaphysical nature of laws and objective probability.
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
The Probability Map of the Universe is heralded as a substantial contribution to philosophical and scientific discourse, covering topics like the philosophy of physics and epistemology. The book is praised for its high-quality essays from distinguished philosophers and is noted for sparking discussions on profound subjects, such as time asymmetry, reminiscent of debates generated by Albert's previous work.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780674967878
Publisher: Harvard University Press
Format: Hardback
Date Published: 10 January 2023
Country: United States
Imprint: Harvard University Press
Illustration: 7 illus., 1 table
Contributors:
- Edited by Brad Weslake
- Edited by Barry Loewer
- Edited by Eric Winsberg
Audience: Professional and scholarly
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 32.0mm
Width: 156.0mm
Height: 235.0mm
Weight: 726g
Pages: 400
About the Author
Barry Loewer is Professor of Philosophy at Rutgers University and Director of the Rutgers Center for Philosophy and the Sciences. Brad Weslake is Associate Professor of Philosophy at New York University Shanghai, Global Network Professor of Philosophy at New York University, and Guest Professor of Philosophy at East China Normal University. Eric Winsberg is Professor of Philosophy at the University of South Florida.
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