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At least 415 records · Page 23Linked to original sources
arXiv2014

Time and the river of existence

Time is one of those issues about which many thinkers and scientists have tried to pronounce their finest thoughts, but the discourse about time has remained vague and often inconsistent. In this paper we put forward a conceptual framework inside which the issue of time should be addressed and solved. We argue that time is an abstract entity created by the human mind, not an ingredient of physical reality as physics normally assumes. Physical reality is a process of ceaseless becoming and vanishing; time is not a part of that process. Time does not flow: time is the artificial bank in relation to which we measure the intensity and amount of the flow (change) of physical reality. It is necessary to differentiate physical reality and abstract entities by means of which we describe this reality. It is necessary to differentiate formulas from their interpretations: a correct formula can be interpreted in a logically inconsistent and factually wrong way.

physics.hist-ph↗
arXiv2015

Locating possible sources of physical indeterminism

Some possible (re)sources of indeterminism and randomness encountered in physics are enumerated. These gaps in the physical laws, if they exist, could possibly be exploited for dualistic interfaces. We also speculate that physical laws and order could possibly emerge from primordial chaos by means resembling statistics and Ramsey theory.

physics.hist-ph↗
arXiv2015

My Struggles with the Block Universe

This document is the second installment of three in the Cerro Grande Fire Series. Like its predecessor arXiv:quant-ph/0105039, "Notes on a Paulian Idea," it is a collection of letters written to various friends and colleagues, most of whom regularly circuit this archive. The unifying theme of all the letters is that each has something to do with the quantum. Particularly, the collection chronicles the emergence of Quantum Bayesianism as a robust view of quantum theory, eventually evolving into the still-more-radical "QBism" (with the B standing for no particular designation anymore), as it took its most distinctive turn away from various Copenhagen Interpretations. Included are many anecdotes from the history of quantum information theory: for instance, the story of the origin of the terms "qubit" and "quantum information" from their originator's own mouth, a copy of a rejection letter written by E. T. Jaynes for one of Rolf Landauer's original erasure-cost principle papers, and much more. Specialized indices are devoted to historical, technical, and philosophical matters. More roundly, the document is an attempt to provide an essential ingredient, unavailable anywhere else, for turning QBism into a live option within the vast spectrum of quantum foundational thought.

quant-ph↗
arXiv2014

Dreamtime Astronomy: development of a new Indigenous program at Sydney Observatory

The Australian National Curriculum promotes Indigenous culture in school education programs. To foster a broader appreciation of cultural astronomy, to utilise the unique astronomical heritage of the site, and to develop an educational program within the framework of the National Curriculum, Sydney Observatory launched Dreamtime Astronomy, a program incorporating Australian Indigenous culture, astronomy, and Sydney's astronomical history and heritage. This paper reviews the development and implementation of this program and discusses modifications following an evaluation by schools.

physics.ed-ph↗
arXiv2014

Obituary: Dr Dianne Johnson (1947-2012)

It is with great sadness that I report the passing of Dr Dianne Johnson in May 2012. Dr Johnson was a pivotal and important figure in the field of Australian cultural astronomy and in the campaign for Aboriginal rights.

physics.hist-ph↗
arXiv2014

On the Benefits of Promoting Diversity of Ideas

A common flaw of astronomers is to believe that they know the truth even when data is scarce. I provide ten examples where this approach led to wrong strategic decisions in research plans, causing unnecessary delays in finding the truth. In order to make the discovery process more efficient, I advocate affirmative action for diversity of ideas by telescope-time allocation committees and funding agencies.

astro-ph.IM↗
arXiv2014

Bohm's approach and Individuality

Ladyman and Ross (LR) argue that quantum objects are not individuals (or are at most weakly discernible individuals) and use this idea to ground their metaphysical view, ontic structural realism, according to which relational structures are primary to things. LR acknowledge that there is a version of quantum theory, namely the Bohm theory (BT), according to which particles do have definite trajectories at all times. However, LR interpret the research by Brown {\em et al.} as implying that "raw stuff" or {\em haecceities} are needed for the individuality of particles of BT, and LR dismiss this as idle metaphysics. In this paper we note that Brown {\em et al.}'s research does not imply that {\em haecceities} are needed. Thus BT remains as a genuine option for those who seek to understand quantum particles as individuals. However, we go on to discuss some problems with BT which led Bohm and Hiley to modify it. This modified version underlines that, due to features such as context-dependence and non-locality, Bohmian particles have a very limited autonomy in situations where quantum effects are non-negligible. So while BT restores the possibility of quantum individuals, it also underlines the primacy of the whole over the autonomy of the parts. The later sections of the paper also examine the Bohm theory in the general mathematical context of symplectic geometry. This provides yet another way of understanding the subtle, holistic and dynamic nature of Bohmian individuals. We finally briefly consider Bohm's other main line of research, the "implicate order", which is in some ways similar to LR's structural realism.

quant-ph↗
arXiv2014

Fundamental Dilemmas in Theoretical Physics

In this paper, we argue that there are foundational dilemmas in theoretical physics related to the concept of reality and the nature of mathematics in physics. Physical theory is treated as a conceptual organism which develops under the weight of its internal contradictions. The paper discusses in depth the problem of objective reality in physics and its relation to scientific practice. Then, it explores the problematic relation between physical meaning and mathematics in modern physical theory, followed by a discussion of the trend of contemporary physics to replace physical principles with pure mathematical principles. Finally, it discusses the problem of logical coherence in modern physical theory. The paper emphasizes the importance of resolving these dilemmas to the proper practice of theoretical physics.

physics.hist-ph↗
arXiv2016

Comments On: A Universe From Nothing

We study some claims in Krauss' recent book, \emph{A Universe from Nothing: Why there is something rather than nothing}, that are employed to show that a universe can come from "nothing". In this brief paper, we show that many of the claims are not supported in full by modern general relativity theory or quantum field theory in curved spacetime.

physics.gen-ph↗
arXiv2014

A Note on the Rapanui Lunar Calendar

This paper is dedicated to the research of secrets of Easter Island (Rapa Nui), a remote plot of land in the Pacific; the article contains not only ethnological data, but also some results on the archaeoastronomy. This author examines both lunar calendar lists presented on the Mamari tablet as well as on a panel at Ahu Raai. Calendar records on different tablets have been investigated, too.

physics.hist-ph↗
arXiv2014

Bonaparte and the astronomers of Brera Observatory

In Northern Italy, between 1796 and 1814, Napoleon Bonaparte formed a Republic, and then a Kingdom, controlled by France. Milan was the capital of the State, and the Brera Palace was the main cultural centre, as regards both the arts and the sciences. Bonaparte probably intended to strengthen this characteristic of Brera, aiming at increasing its Italian and European relevance. We will discuss in detail in which way he interacted with the astronomers of Brera Observatory, and in particular with Barnaba Oriani, that was considered the local main representative of the 'republique des lettres', that is, the world of literature, arts and sciences. We propose a possible reconstruction of the effects of those complicated historical events on the Italian astronomy and on its relations with the European one.

physics.hist-ph↗
arXiv2014

The Australian Aboriginal People: How to Misunderstand Their Science

Just one generation ago, schoolkids were taught that Aboriginal people couldn't count beyond five, wandered the desert scavenging for food, had no civilization or religion, had no agriculture, couldn't navigate, didn't build houses, and peacefully acquiesced when Western Civilisation rescued them in 1788. How did we get it so wrong? Here I show that traditional Aboriginal people knew a great deal about the sky, knew the cycles of movements of the stars and the complex motions of the sun, moon and planets. I argue that school students studying science today could learn much from the way that pre-contact Aboriginal people used observation to build a self-consistent picture of the world around them, with predictive power and practical applications.

physics.hist-ph↗
arXiv2014

The controversial pen of Edwin Holmes

Edwin Alfred Holmes (1839 -1919) is best remembered for his discovery of a bright comet in 1892, now known as Comet 17P/Holmes. An amateur astronomer and authority on optics, he was an original member of the BAA and contributed to its Journal and meetings for many years. As a prolific writer of letters to the English Mechanic, he developed a reputation for his controversial and acerbic penmanship.

physics.hist-ph↗
arXiv2014

David Elijah Packer: cluster variables, meteors and the solar corona

David Elijah Packer (1862-1936), a librarian by profession, was an enthusiastic amateur astronomer who observed from London and Birmingham. He first came to the attention of the astronomical community in 1890 when he discovered a variable star in the globular cluster M5, only the second periodic variable to be discovered in a globular cluster. He also observed meteors and nebulae, on one occasion reporting a brightening in the nucleus of the galaxy M77. However, his remarkable claims in 1896 that he had photographed the solar corona in daylight were soon shown to be flawed.

physics.hist-ph↗
arXiv2014

The primitive ontology of quantum physics: guidelines for an assessment of the proposals

The paper seeks to make progress from stating primitive ontology theories of quantum physics, notably Bohmian mechanics, the GRW matter density theory and the GRW flash theory, to assessing these theories. Four criteria are set out: (a) internal coherence; (b) empirical adequacy; (c) relationship to other theories; (d) explanatory value. The paper argues that the stock objections against these theories do not withstand scrutiny. Its focus then is on their explanatory value: they pursue different strategies to ground the textbook formalism of quantum mechanics, and they develop different explanations of quantum non-locality. In conclusion, it is argued that Bohmian mechanics offers a better prospect for making quantum non-locality intelligible than the GRW matter density theory and the GRW flash theory.

quant-ph↗
arXiv2014

The ontology of Bohmian mechanics

The paper points out that the modern formulation of Bohm's quantum theory known as Bohmian mechanics is committed only to particles' positions and a law of motion. We explain how this view can avoid the open questions that the traditional view faces according to which Bohm's theory is committed to a wave-function that is a physical entity over and above the particles, although it is defined on configuration space instead of three-dimensional space. We then enquire into the status of the law of motion, elaborating on how the main philosophical options to ground a law of motion, namely Humeanism and dispositionalism, can be applied to Bohmian mechanics. In conclusion, we sketch out how these options apply to primitive ontology approaches to quantum mechanics in general.

physics.hist-ph↗