1st Edition
The Routledge Companion to Philosophy of Physics
The Routledge Companion to Philosophy of Physics is a comprehensive and authoritative guide to the state of the art in the philosophy of physics. It comprisess 54 self-contained chapters written by leading philosophers of physics at both senior and junior levels, making it the most thorough and detailed volume of its type on the market – nearly every major perspective in the field is represented.
The Companion’s 54 chapters are organized into 12 parts. The first seven parts cover all of the major physical theories investigated by philosophers of physics today, and the last five explore key themes that unite the study of these theories.
I. Newtonian Mechanics
II. Special Relativity
III. General Relativity
IV. Non-Relativistic Quantum Theory
V. Quantum Field Theory
VI. Quantum Gravity
VII. Statistical Mechanics and Thermodynamics
VIII. Explanation
IX. Intertheoretic Relations
X. Symmetries
XI. Metaphysics
XII. Cosmology
The difficulty level of the chapters has been carefully pitched so as to offer both accessible summaries for those new to philosophy of physics and standard reference points for active researchers on the front lines. An introductory chapter by the editors maps out the field, and each part also begins with a short summary that places the individual chapters in context. The volume will be indispensable to any serious student or scholar of philosophy of physics.
Introduction
Eleanor Knox and Alastair Wilson
Section A: Theories
Part I: Newtonian Mechanics
Introduction to Part I
1. Newtonian Mechanics
Ryan Samaroo
2. Formulations of Classical Mechanics
Jill North
3. Classical Spacetime Structure
James Owen Weatherall
4. Relationism in Classical Dynamics
Julian Barbour
Part II: Special Relativity
Introduction to Part II
5. Relativity and Space-Time Geometry
Tim Maudlin
6. The Dynamical Approach to Spacetime Theories
Harvey R. Brown and James Read
7. Relativity and the A-Theory
Antony Eagle
8. Relativistic Constraints on Interpretations of Quantum Mechanics
Wayne C. Myrvold
Part III: General Relativity
Introduction to Part III
9. The Equivalence Principle(s)
Dennis Lehmkuhl
10. The Hole Argument
Oliver Pooley
11. Relativistic Spacetime Structure
Samuel C. Fletcher
Part IV: Non-Relativistic Quantum Theory
Introduction to Part IV
12. Bell’s Theorem, Quantum Probabilities, and Superdeterminism
Eddy Keming Chen
13. Quantum Decoherence
Elise M. Crull
14. The Everett Interpretation: Structure
Simon W. Saunders
15. The Everett Interpretation: Probability
Simon W. Saunders
16. Collapse Theories
Peter J. Lewis
17. Bohmian Mechanics
Roderich Tumulka
Part V: Quantum Field Theory
Introduction to Part V
18. The Quantum Theory of Fields
David Wallace
19. Renormalization Group Methods
Porter Williams
20. Locality in (Axiomatic) Quantum Field Theory: A Minority Report
Laura Ruetsche
21. Particles in Quantum Field Theory
Doreen Fraser
Part VI: Quantum Gravity
Introduction to Part VI
22. The Development of Quantum Gravity: From Feelings to Phenomena
Dean Rickles
23. String Theory
Richard Dawid
24. Quantum Gravity from General Relativity
Christian Wüthrich
25. Spacetime "Emergence"
Nick Huggett
26. The Problem of Time
Karim P.Y. Thébault
Part VII: Statistical Mechanics and Thermodynamics
Introduction to Part VII
27. Equilibrium in Boltzmannian Statistical Mechanics
Roman Frigg and Charlotte Werndl
28. Equilibrium in Gibbsian Statistical Mechanics
Roman Frigg and Charlotte Werndl
29. Quantum Foundations of Statistical Mechanics and Thermodynamics
Orly Shenker
30. Entropy Asymmetry
Arianne Shahvisi
Section B: Themes
Part VIII: Explanation
Introdution to Part VIII
31. Causal Explanation in Physics
Matthias Frisch
32. Non-Causal Explanations in Physics
Juha Saatsi
33. Mechanistic Explanation in Physics
Laura Felline
34. The Explanatory Value of Selecting the Appropriate Scale(s)
Lina Jansson
Part IX: Intertheoretic Relations
Introduction to Part IX
35. Nagelian Reduction in Physics
Foad Dizadji-Bahmani
36. Phase Transitions
Sorin Bangu
37. Universality
Robert W. Batterman
38. Chance and Determinism
Nina Emery
Part X: Symmetries
Introduction to Part X
39. Symmetry and Superfluous Structure: A Metaphysical Overview
Shamik Dasgupta
40. Symmetry and Superfluous Structure: Lessons from History and Tempered Enthusiasm
Jenann Ismael
41. Permutations
Adam Caulton
42. Gauge Theories
Nicholas J. Teh
43. Time Reversal
Bryan W. Roberts
44. Symmetry Breaking
Elena Castellani and Radin Dardashti
Part XI: Metaphysics
Introduction to Part XI
45. Laws
Marc Lange
46. Chance
Mauricio Suárez
47. Holism
Richard Healey
48. Dimensions
Susan G. Sterrett
49. Fundamentality
Steven French
Part XII: Cosmology
Introduction to Part XII
50. Why Is There Something, Rather Than Nothing?
Sean M. Carroll
51. Time in Cosmology
Craig Callender and Casey McCoy
52. The Fine-Tuning of the Universe for Life
Luke A. Barnes
53. Dark Matter and Dark Energy
Melissa Jacquart
54. Evidence in Astrophysics
Sibylle Anderl
Biography
Eleanor Knox is Reader in Philosophy of Physics at King’s College London. She works in philosophy of physics, particularly the philosophy of spacetime physics, and is also interested in issues of reduction and emergence, and how these two come together in quantum gravity.
Alastair Wilson is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Birmingham and Senior Adjunct Research Fellow at Monash University. He works on philosophy of physics, philosophy of science, metaphysics, and epistemology, with special interests in the philosophy of quantum theory and the metaphysics of dependence. He is the author of The Nature of Contingency: Quantum Physics as Modal Realism (2020).
