物理学史与哲学

Einstein's 1932 efforts of persuasion to renounce the cosmological constant and his possible influence on Robertson.

The fourth microlensing planet, otherwise known as OGLE-2005-BLG-169Lb, was discovered by a collaboration of US, NZ, Polish and UK astronomers in 2005-2006. Recently the results were confirmed by the Hubble Space Telescope and by the Keck…

The objective is a foundation of physics from the operationalization of its basic observables. We begin with classical and relativistic kinematics. Seizing on a programmatic proposal by Heinrich Hertz we arrive via quantification of…

This novel approach to the foundation of the physical theory begins with Hermann von Helmholtz fundamental analysis of basic measurements. We explain the mathematical formalism from the operationalization of basic observables. According to…

We propose a discussion of angular momentum and its Euler equation, with the aim of giving a short outline of their history. This outline can be useful for teaching purposes too, to amend some problems that students can have in learning…

The ancient geographic coordinates given for places of Great Britain in Ptolemy's Geographike Hyphegesis are investigated by means of geodetic methods. The turning of Scotland to the east is modelled by a three-dimensional rotation. On the…

The Goedelian approach is discussed as a prime example of a science towards the origins. While mere selfreferential objectification locks in to its own byproducts, self-releasing objectification informs the formation of objects at hand and…

Between 1935 and 1936, Einstein was occupied with the Schwarzschild solution and the singularity within it while working in Princeton on the unified field theory and with his assistant Nathan Rosen, on the theory of the Einstein-Rosen…

The handed down latitudinal data ascribed to Eratosthenes and Hipparchus are composed and each tested for consistency by means of adjustment theory. For detected inconsistencies new explanations are given concerning the origin of the data.…

A perplexing problem in understanding physical reality is why the universe seems comprehensible, and correspondingly why there should exist physical systems capable of comprehending it. In this essay I explore the possibility that rather…

Augusta Praetoria Salassorum, modern Aosta, was founded around 25 BC to celebrate the victory of Augustus army on the Salassi. Aosta is a city of the founder under many respects; for instance, one of the two twin temples of the forum was…

The topography of the royal pyramids of the 12th dynasty is investigated in its historical and chronological context, in order to highlight connections between the architectural choices, the religious ideas and the traditions inspiring the…

Despite being one of the most recognisable buildings from ancient Rome, the Pantheon is poorly understood. While its architecture has been well studied, its function remains uncertain. This paper argues that both the design and the meaning…

The Inca citadel of Machu Picchu is usually interpreted as a "royal estate" of the Inca ruler Pachacuti. This idea is challenged here by a critical reappraisal of existing sources and a re-analysis of existing evidences. It is shown that…

In this paper I describe the early development of the so-called mathematical biophysics, as conceived by Nicolas Rashevsky back in the 1920's, as well as his latter idealization of a "relational biology". I also underline that the creation…

Corroboration or confirmation is a prominent philosophical debate of the 20th century. Many philosophers have been involved in this debate most notably the proponents of confirmation led by Hempel and its most powerful criticism by the…

This article recalls the birth of the first electron-positron storage ring AdA, and the construction of the higher energy collider ADONE, where early photon-photon collisions were observed. The events which led the Austrian physicist Bruno…

In 1932 Ettore Majorana published an article proving that relativity allows any value for the spin of a quantum particle and that there is no privilege for the half integer spin. The Majorana idea was so innovative for the time that the…

We explicate some epistemological implications of stationary principles and in particular of Noether Theorems. Noether's contribution to the problem of covariance, in fact, is epistemologically relevant, since it moves the attention from…

A possible influence of Klein's Erlangen program on physical theories is investigated. While some connections are found, it is concluded that Lie's theory of transformation groups and Lie algebras have had a much larger impact. In this…