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This book addresses several of the foundational problems in
thermophysics, i. e. thermodynamics and statistical mechanics. It
is an interdisciplinary work in that it examines the philosophical
underpinning of scientific models and theories; it also refines the
analysis of the problems at hand and delineates the place occupied
by various scientific models in a generalized philosophical
landscape. Hence, our philosophical - or theoretical - inquiry
focuses sharply on the concept of models; and our empirical - or
laboratory - evidence is sought in the model-building activities of
scientists who have tried to confront the epistemological problems
arising in the thermophysical sciences. Primarily for researchers
and students in physics, philosophy of science, and mathematics,
our book aims at informing the readers - with all the in
dispensable technical details made readily available - about the
nature of the foundational problems, how these problems are
approached with the help of various mathematical models, and what
the philosophical implications of such models and approaches
involve. Some familiarity with elementary ther mophysics and/or
with introductory-level philosophy of science may help, but neither
is a prerequisite. The logical and mathematical background re
quired for the book are introduced in the Appendices. Upon using
the Subject Index, the readers may easily locate the concepts and
theorems needed for understanding various parts of the book. The
Citation Index lists the authors of the contributions we discuss in
detail."
This book deals with models and model-building in classical and quantum physics; it relies on logic and the philosophy of science as well as on modern mathematics. The reader will also find vistas into the history of ideas. The philosophical analysis is based on the separation of syntax and semantics, which is at the root of Kolmogorov's theory of probability; recursive functions and algorithmic complexity are used to discuss entropy and randomness. Basic concepts are discussed, together with concrete physical models for phase transitions, scaling, renormalization semigroups, and the irreversible approach to equilibrium. The book is intended for mathematicians, physicists and philosophers of science, both researchers and graduate students.
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