English

The physicists philosophy of physics

History and Philosophy of Physics 2024-08-12 v2 Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics

Abstract

I argue that research in physics operates under an implicit community philosophy, and I offer a definition I think physicists would accept, by and large. I compare this definition to what philosophers, sociologists, and historians of science, with physicists, say we are doing.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2401.16506,
  title  = {The physicists philosophy of physics},
  author = {P. J. E. Peebles},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2401.16506},
  year   = {2024}
}

Comments

Comments on the version of this essay I placed on arXiv on January 2024 and other discussions motivated enough revisions and additions to justify placing this version on the arXiv. I have submitted it to the Journal Philosophy of Science

R2 v1 2026-06-28T14:30:46.344Z