Related papers: Idealizations and analogies
There exist dozens of interpretations of quantum theory, but they do not seem to contribute much to understanding the theory. This paper attempts to clarify some issues that are discussed in those interpretations. The main keywords are:…
In his book `Physics and Philosophy', Heisenberg suggested that the quantum world is one of ``potentialities or possibilities'' and that the classical realm is one of ``things or facts''. After ascertaining that his categories most…
This article explores the following methodological principle for theory construction in physics: if an ontological theory predicts two scenarios that are ontologically distinct but empirically indiscernible, then this theory should be…
The theory of measurement is employed to elucidate the physical basis of general relativity. For measurements involving phenomena with intrinsic length or time scales, such scales must in general be negligible compared to the (translational…
Phase transitions and critical phenomena are among the most intriguing phenomena in nature and their renormalization-group theory is one of the greatest achievements of theoretical physics. However, the predictions of the theory above an…
Critical states are sometimes identified experimentally through power-law statistics or universal scaling functions. We show here that such features naturally emerge from networks in self-sustained irregular regimes away from criticality.…
Critical phenomena have been extensively investigated both theoretically and experimentally in many fields, such as condensed matter physics, biology, e.g., brain criticality, and cosmology. In particular, the behaviour of response…
The two-dimensional case occupies a special position in the theory of critical phenomena due to the exact results provided by lattice solutions and, directly in the continuum, by the infinite-dimensional character of the conformal algebra.…
We review results concerning the critical behavior of spin systems at equilibrium. We consider the Ising and the general O($N$)-symmetric universality classes, including the $N\to 0$ limit that describes the critical behavior of…
We investigate mechanisms for language change within a framework where an unconventional signal for a meaning is first innovated, and then subsequently propagated through a speech community to replace the existing convention. We appeal to…
Based on a number of experimentally verified physical observations, it is argued that the standard principles of quantum mechanics should be applied to the Universe as a whole. Thus, a paradigm is proposed in which the entire Universe is…
We propose a generic scaling theory for critical phenomena that includes power-law and essential singularities in finite and infinite dimensional systems. In addition, we clarify its validity by analyzing the Potts model in a simple…
In this paper we argue against the orthodox definition of quantum entanglement which has been explicitly grounded on several "common sense" (metaphysical) presuppositions and presents today serious formal and conceptual drawbacks. This…
A simple model coupling a one-dimensional beam particle to a one-dimensional harmonic oscillator is used to explore complementarity and entanglement. This model, well-known in the inelastic scattering literature, is presented under three…
Inflationary models are generally credited with explaining the large scale homogeneity, isotropy, and flatness of our universe as well as accounting for the origin of structure (i.e., the deviations from exact homogeneity) in our universe.…
The Friedmann paradigm for a dynamical universe emanating from a spacetime singularity is critically reviwed. Quantum effects, playing the essential role at the very early stages, suggests that the universe may follow different course to…
Philosophers frequently struggle with the relation of metaphysics to the everyday world, with its practical value, and with its relation to empirical science. This paper distinguishes several different models of the relation between…
Heisenberg's uncertainty principle is often cited as an example of a "purely quantum" relation with no analogue in the classical limit where $\hbar \to 0$. However, this formulation of the classical limit is problematic for many reasons,…
The problematic relationship between science and philosophy has, since the beginning of modernity, divided the world into two separate domains: nature and human. Some of today's schools of philosophy and epistemological inquiry have…
Understanding realistic complex systems requires confronting significant conceptual, theoretical and experimental limitations rooted in the persistence of views that originated in the mechanics of simple moving bodies. We define the…