Chance and Temporal Asymmetry presents a collection of cutting-edge
research papers in the metaphysics of science, tackling the perplexing
philosophical problems raised by recent progress in the physics and
metaphysics of chance and time. How do the probabilities found in
fundamental physics and the probabilities of the special sciences
relate to one another? Can a constraint on the initial conditions of
the universe underwrite the second law of thermodynamics? How does
contemporary quantum theory reframe debates over the nature of chance?
What grounds do we have for believing in a fundamental direction to
time? And how do all these questions connect up? The aim of the volume
is both to survey and summarize recent debates about chance and
temporal asymmetry and to push them forward. Familiar approaches are
subjected to searching new critiques, and bold new proposals are made
concerning (inter alia) the semantics of chance-attributions, the
justification of the Principal Principle connecting chance and degree
of belief, and the source of the temporal asymmetry of human
experience. The contributors include world-leading figures in the
field, all presenting new work rather than rehashing old ideas, as
well as a number of promising junior scholars. A wide-ranging
introduction connects the different chapters together, and provides
essential background to the debates they take up. Technicality is kept
to a minimum and philosophical and conceptual foundations take centre
stage. Chance and Temporal Asymmetry sets the agenda for future work
on time and chance, which are central to the emerging sub-field of
metaphysics of science. It will be indispensable to graduate students
and to specialists in metaphysics and philosophy of science.
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Produktdetaljer
ISBN
9780191054587
Publisert
2020
Utgave
1. utgave
Utgiver
Vendor
OUP Oxford
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Digital bok
Forfatter