Philosophy and the Foundations of Dynamics 1st Edition by Lawrence Sklar ISBN 0521888190 9780521888196

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ISBN 10: 0521888190 
ISBN 13: 9780521888196
Author: Lawrence Sklar

Although now replaced by more modern theories, classical mechanics remains a core foundational element of physical theory. From its inception, the theory of dynamics has been riddled with conceptual issues and differing philosophical interpretations and throughout its long historical development, it has shown subtle conceptual refinement. The interpretive program for the theory has also shown deep evolutionary change over time. Lawrence Sklar discusses crucial issues in the central theory from which contemporary foundational theories are derived and shows how some core issues (the nature of force, the place of absolute reference frames) have nevertheless remained deep puzzles despite the increasingly sophisticated understanding of the theory which has been acquired over time. His book will be of great interest to philosophers of science, philosophers in general and physicists concerned with foundational interpretive issues in their field.

Philosophy and the Foundations of Dynamics 1st Table of contents:

1 Introduction
1.1 The growth of theories
1.2 The formulation and reformulation of theories
1.3 The structure of this book
2 The pre-history of classical dynamics
2.1 Some Greek knowledge and speculation
2.2 The growth of mathematical astronomy
2.3 Greek dynamical theory
2.4 Dynamics in medieval Islam and medieval Latin Europe
Suggested reading
3 The astronomical revolution
3.1 Copernicus
3.2 Brahe and Kepler
Suggested reading
4 Precursors to Newtonian dynamics
4.1 Galileo
4.2 Descartes
4.3 Huyghens
4.4 Other precursors of Newton
Suggested reading
5 The Newtonian synthesis
5.1 Newtonian dynamics
5.2 Newtonian gravity and Newtonian cosmology
Suggested reading
6 Philosophical aspects of the Newtonian synthesis
6.1 The metaphysics of space, time and motion
6.2 Issues concerning explanation
6.3 Newton’s “Rules of reasoning in philosophy”
Suggested reading
7 The history of statics
Suggested reading
8 The development of dynamics after Newton
8.1 From special problems and ad-hoc methods to general theory
8.2 Three developmental streams
8.3 Philosophical themes in dynamics
9 The “Newtonian” approach after Newton
9.1 Kinematics, dynamics and constitutive equations
9.2 The fundamental laws of dynamics
9.3 Philosophical reflections on “force”
Suggested reading
10 From virtual work to Lagrange’s equation
10.1 From virtual work to “d’Alembert’s principle”
10.2 From d’Alembert’s principle to Lagrange’s equation
Suggested reading
11 Extremal principles
11.1 From least time to least action
11.2 Least action and the issue of explanatory legitimacy
Suggested reading
12 Some philosophical reflections on explanation and theory
13 Conservation principles
13.1 Discovery, controversy and consolidation
13.2 Symmetry and conservation
Suggested reading
14 Hamilton’s equations
14.1 The Hamiltonian formalism
14.2 Phase space
Suggested reading
15 Canonical transformations, optical analogies and algebraic structures
15.1 Canonical transformations
15.2 Hamilton–Jacobi theory
15.3 Poisson brackets
Suggested reading
16 The search for new foundations
16.1 A sampler of proposals
16.2 Hertz’s neo-Cartesianism
16.3 Mach’s relationism
16.4 Further foundational reflections
Suggested reading
17 New directions in the applications of dynamics
17.1 From celestial mechanics to qualitative dynamics
17.2 Chaos theory
17.3 Statistical mechanics
17.4 New applications and explanatory projects
Suggested reading
18 Spacetime formulations of Newtonian dynamics
18.1 Relativistic spacetimes
18.2 Galilean spacetime
18.3 Curved Galilean spacetime and Newtonian gravity
18.4 Philosophical reflections
Suggested reading
19 Formalization: mass and force
19.1 “Informal” formalization
19.2 “Formal” formalization: mass and force
Suggested reading
20 Relationist dynamics
20.1 Machian dynamics
20.2 Philosophical questions
Suggested reading
21 Modes of explanation
21.1 The variety of explanatory modes in dynamics
21.2 Internal issues concerning analytical dynamics
21.3 Extremal principles and the philosophy of explanation
Suggested reading
22 Retrospective and conclusions

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Tags: Lawrence Sklar, Philosophy, Foundations, Dynamics