Defining a crisis: the roles of principles in the search for a theory of quantum gravity.
In times of crisis, when current theories are revealed as inadequate to task, and new physics is thought to be required—physics turns to re-evaluate its principles, and to seek new ones. This paper explores the various types, and roles of principles that feature in the problem of quantum gravity as...
| Publicado en: | Synthese Vol. 198; pp. 3489 - 3517 |
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| Formato: | Artículo |
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Springer Nature
Jun2021 Supplement 14
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| Acceso en línea: | Ver este registro en EBSCOhost |
| fields | @attributes: recordID: 1 pdfLink: plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=hlh&AN=151025628&site=ehost-live header: @attributes: shortDbName: hlh uiTerm: 151025628 longDbName: Humanities International Complete uiTag: AN controlInfo: bkinfo: jinfo: jid: 00397857 4LI jtl: Synthese issn: 00397857 maglogo: N pubinfo: dt: Jun2021 Supplement 14 vid: 198 pid: 237 pub: Springer Nature artinfo: ui: 151025628 10.1007/s11229-018-01970-4 ppf: 3489 ppct: 28 formats: fmt: @attributes: type: P size: 685KB tig: atl: Defining a crisis: the roles of principles in the search for a theory of quantum gravity. aug: au: Crowther, Karen affil: Department of Philosophy, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland su: Quantum gravity Quantum theory Search theory Density currents Crises sug: subj: Quantum gravity Quantum theory Search theory Density currents Crises keyword: Constitutive principles Friedman Holographic principle Scientific revolution Spacetime Theory change ab: In times of crisis, when current theories are revealed as inadequate to task, and new physics is thought to be required—physics turns to re-evaluate its principles, and to seek new ones. This paper explores the various types, and roles of principles that feature in the problem of quantum gravity as a current crisis in physics. I illustrate the diversity of the principles being appealed to, and show that principles serve in a variety of roles in all stages of the crisis, including in motivating the need for a new theory, and defining what this theory should be like. In particular, I consider: the generalised correspondence principle, UV-completion, background independence, and the holographic principle. I also explore how the current crisis fits with Friedman's view on the roles of principles in revolutionary theory-change, finding that while many key aspects of this view are not represented in quantum gravity (at the current stage), the view could potentially offer a useful diagnostic, and prescriptive strategy. This paper is intended to be relatively non-technical, and to bring some of the philosophical issues from the search for quantum gravity to a more general philosophical audience interested in the roles of principles in scientific theory-change. pubtype: Academic Journal doctype: Article src: R language: English refInfo: copyright: @attributes: flag: Y custom: Synthese is a copyright of Springer, 2021. All Rights Reserved. item: Synthese holder: Springer Nature dt: @attributes: year: 2021 holdings: @attributes: islocal: N |
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