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Explaining universality: infinite limit systems in the renormalization group method.

I analyze the role of infinite idealizations used in the renormalization group (RG hereafter) method in explaining universality across microscopically different physical systems in critical phenomena. I argue that despite the reference to infinite limit systems such as systems with infinite correlat...

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Published in:Synthese Vol. 199; no. 5/6; pp. 14897 - 14931
Main Author: Wu, Jingyi
Format: Article
Published: Springer Nature Dec2021
Subjects:
Renormalization group
Basic needs
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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        atl: Explaining universality: infinite limit systems in the renormalization group method.
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        au: Wu, Jingyi
        affil: Department of Logic and Philosophy of Science, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
      su:
        Renormalization group
        Basic needs
      sug:
        subj:
          Renormalization group
          Basic needs
      keyword:
        Critical phase transitions
        Infinite idealizations
        Linearization*
        Renormalization group method
        Scientific explanation
      ab: I analyze the role of infinite idealizations used in the renormalization group (RG hereafter) method in explaining universality across microscopically different physical systems in critical phenomena. I argue that despite the reference to infinite limit systems such as systems with infinite correlation lengths during the RG process, the key to explaining universality in critical phenomena need not involve infinite limit systems. I develop my argument by introducing what I regard as the explanatorily relevant property in RG explanations: linearization* property; I then motivate and prove a proposition about the linearization* property in support of my view. As a result, infinite limit systems in RG explanations are dispensable.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype: Article
      src: R
    language: English
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      custom: Synthese is a copyright of Springer, 2021. All Rights Reserved.
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