-
95Implications of causal propagation outside the Null ConeAustralasian Journal of Philosophy 50 (3). 1972.This Article does not have an abstract
-
88Some Aspects of General Relativity and GeometrodynamicsJournal of Philosophy 69 (19): 634. 1972.
-
85Bayes, Hume, Price, and MiraclesIn Richard Swinburne (ed.), Bayes’s Theorem, Oxford University Press. pp. 91--110. 2002.This chapter discusses the Bayesian analysis of miracles. It is set in the context of the eighteenth-century debate on miracles. The discussion is focused on the probable response of Thomas Bayes to David Hume's celebrated argument against miracles. The chapter presents the claim that the criticisms Richard Price made against Hume's argument against miracles were largely solid.
-
84Space-time, or how to solve philosophical problems and dissolve philosophical muddles without really tryingJournal of Philosophy 67 (9): 259-277. 1970.
-
84Foundations of Space-Time Theories: Minnesota Studies in the Philosophy of Science (edited book)University of Minnesota Press. 1974.Some Philosophical Prehistory of General Relativity As history, my remarks will form rather a medley. If they can claim any sort of unity (apart from a ...
-
82Tolerance for spacetime singularitiesFoundations of Physics 26 (5): 623-640. 1996.A common reaction to the Penrose-Hawking singularity theorems is that Einstein's general theory of relativity contains the seeds of its own destruction. This attitude is critically examined. A more tolerant attitude toward spacetime singularities is recommended
-
81Relativistic Causality in Algebraic Quantum Field TheoryInternational Studies in the Philosophy of Science 28 (1): 1-48. 2014.This paper surveys the issue of relativistic causality within the framework of algebraic quantum field theory . In doing so, we distinguish various notions of causality formulated in the literature and study their relationships, and thereby we offer what we hope to be a useful taxonomy. We propose that the most direct expression of relativistic causality in AQFT is captured not by the spectrum condition but rather by the axiom of local primitive causality, in that it entails a form of local dete…Read more
-
79From metaphysics to physicsIn Jeremy Butterfield & Constantine Pagonis (eds.), From Physics to Philosophy, Cambridge University Press. pp. 166--86. 1999.We discuss the relationship between the interpretative problems of quantum gravity and those of general relativity. We argue that classical and quantum theories of gravity resuscitate venerable philosophical questions about the nature of space, time, and change; and that the resolution of some of the difficulties facing physicists working on quantum theories of gravity would appear to require philosophical as well as scientific creativity.
-
78Bangs, Crunches, Whimpers, and Shrieks: Singularities and Acausalities in Relativistic SpacetimesOxford University Press. 1995.Indeed, this is the first serious book-length study of the subject by a philosopher of science.
-
74On Writing the History of Special RelativityPSA: Proceedings of the Biennial Meeting of the Philosophy of Science Association 1982. 1982.Nearly all accounts of the genesis of special relativity unhesitatingly assume that the theory was worked out in a roughly five week period following the discovery of the relativity of simultaneity. Not only is there no direct evidence for this common presupposition, there are numerous considerations which militate against it. The evidence suggests it is far more reasonable that Einstein was already in possession of the Lorentz and field transformations, that he had applied these to the dynamics…Read more
-
73Fairy tales vs an ongoing story: Ramsey's neglected argument for scientific realism (review)Philosophical Studies 33 (2). 1978.
-
71the success of classical equilibrium statistical mechanics. Our claim is based on the observations that dynamical systems for which statistical mechanics works are most likely not ergodic, and that ergodicity is both too strong and too weak a condition for the required explanation: one needs only ergodic-like behavior for the finite set of observables that matter, but the behavior must ensure that the approach to equilibrium for these obsersvables is on the appropriate..
-
70Kant, incongruous counterparts, and the nature of space and space-timeIn James Van~Cleve & Robert E. Frederick (eds.), The Philosophy of Right and Left, Kluwer Academic Publishers. pp. 131--149. 1991.The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, I want to examine some rather curious arguments of Kant’s which purport to show that some alleged properties of space can be derived from some alleged facts about incongruous counterparts. Secondly, I want to give some preliminary answers to some important questions about the distinction between right and left and the nature of space and space-time which are raised by Kant’s argument. As a byproduct, I hope that the discussion will provide an example …Read more
-
69The anisotropy of timeAustralasian Journal of Philosophy 47 (3). 1969.This Article does not have an abstract
-
68Tracking down gauge: An ode to the constrained Hamiltonian formalismIn Katherine Brading & Elena Castellani (eds.), Symmetries in Physics: Philosophical Reflections, Cambridge University Press. pp. 140--62. 2003.Like moths attracted to a bright light, philosophers are drawn to glitz. So in discussing the notions of ‘gauge’, ‘gauge freedom’, and ‘gauge theories’, they have tended to focus on examples such as Yang–Mills theories and on the mathematical apparatus of fibre bundles. But while Yang–Mills theories are crucial to modern elementary particle physics, they are only a special case of a much broader class of gauge theories. And while the fibre bundle apparatus turned out, in retrospect, to be the ri…Read more
-
67Old Evidence, New Theories: Two Unresolved Problems in Bayesian Confirmation TheoryPacific Philosophical Quarterly 70 (4): 323-340. 1989.
-
67Covariance, invariance, and the equivalence of framesFoundations of Physics 4 (2): 267-289. 1974.This paper represents an attempt to clarify a number of long-standing issues concerning the nature and status of the special and general principles of relativity in particular and symmetry or invariance principles in general. An analysis of the active and passive interpretations of symmetry operations is offered. This analysis yields an evaluation of the old covariance-invariance issue. It also demonstrates that the passive interpretation, insofar as it is not trivial, is parasitic on the active…Read more
-
64Infinite pains: the trouble with supertasksIn Adam Morton & Stephen P. Stich (eds.), Benacerraf and His Critics, Blackwell. pp. 11--271. 1996.
-
62Carnap, Kuhn, and the Philosophy of Science MethodologyIn Paul Horwich (ed.), World Changes. Thomas Kuhn and the Nature of Science, Mit Press. pp. 9--36. 1993.
-
62Combining Statistical-Thermodynamics and Relativity Theory: Methodological and Foundations ProblemsPSA: Proceedings of the Biennial Meeting of the Philosophy of Science Association 1978. 1978.
-
61No superluminal propagation for classical relativistic and relativistic quantum fieldsStudies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics 48 (2): 102-108. 2014.A criterion is proposed to ensure that classical relativistic fields do not propagate superluminally. If this criterion does indeed serve as a sufficient condition for no superluminal propagation it follows that various other criteria found in the physics literature cannot serve as necessary conditions since they can fail although the proffered condition holds. The rejected criteria rely on energy conditions that are believed to hold for most classical fields used in actual applications. But the…Read more
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
Areas of Specialization
Philosophy of Physical Science |
General Philosophy of Science |
Areas of Interest
Philosophy of Physical Science |
General Philosophy of Science |