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Are Virtual Quanta Nothing but Formal Tools?International Studies in the Philosophy of Science 25 (1). 2011.
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A Case for an Empirically Demonstrable Notion of the Vacuum in Quantum Electrodynamics Independent of Dynamical FluctuationsJournal for General Philosophy of Science / Zeitschrift für Allgemeine Wissenschaftstheorie 42 (2): 241-261. 2011.A re-evaluation of the notion of vacuum in quantum electrodynamics is presented, focusing on the vacuum of the quantized electromagnetic field. In contrast to the ‘nothingness’ associated to the idea of classical vacuum, subtle aspects are found in relation to the vacuum of the quantized electromagnetic field both at theoretical and experimental levels. These are not the usually called vacuum effects. The view defended here is that the so-called vacuum effects are not due to the ground state of …Read more
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The Relation between Classical and Quantum ElectrodynamicsTheoria: Revista de Teoría, Historia y Fundamentos de la Ciencia 26 (1): 51-68. 2011.Quantum electrodynamics presents intrinsic limitations in the description of physical processes that make it impossible to recover from it the type of description we have in classical electrodynamics. Hence one cannot consider classical electrodynamics as reducing to quantum electrodynamics and being recovered from it by some sort of limiting procedure. Quantum electrodynamics has to be seen not as a more fundamental theory, but as an upgrade of classical electrodynamics, which permits an extens…Read more
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Philosophy of PhysicsHistory and Philosophy of Science and Technology - EOLSS. 2012.
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The flow of time in the theory of relativityDisputatio. Philosophical Research Bulletin 5 (6): 1-28. 2016.According to Dennis Dieks, in the theory of relativity, the «flow of time» results from the succession of events along time-like worldlines. We have a flow of time per worldline. This leads to a view of now as local to each worldline. In this approach there is no global temporal order of the now-points of different worldlines. For a consistency reason it is imposed a limitation on the assignment of different now-points. Here it is made the claim that this consistency requirement is inbuilt in th…Read more
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Proper time and the clock hypothesis in the theory of relativityEuropean Journal for Philosophy of Science 6 (2): 191-207. 2016.When addressing the notion of proper time in the theory of relativity, it is usually taken for granted that the time read by an accelerated clock is given by the Minkowski proper time. However, there are authors like Harvey Brown that consider necessary an extra assumption to arrive at this result, the so-called clock hypothesis. In opposition to Brown, Richard TW Arthur takes the clock hypothesis to be already implicit in the theory. In this paper I will present a view different from these auth…Read more
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The conventionality of simultaneity in Einstein’s practical chrono-geometryTheoria : An International Journal for Theory, History and Fundations of Science 32 (2): 177-190. 2017.While Einstein considered that sub specie astern the correct philosophical position regarding geometry was that of the conventionality of geometry, he felt that provisionally it was necessary to adopt a non-conventional stance that he called practical geometry. here we will make the case that even when adopting Einstein’s views we must conclude that practical geometry is conventional after all. Einstein missed the fact that the conventionality of simultaneity leads to a conventional element in t…Read more
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Einstein’s physical chronogeometryManuscrito 40 (1): 241-278. 2017.ABSTRACT In Einstein’s physical geometry, the geometry of space and the uniformity of time are taken to be non-conventional. However, due to the stipulation of the isotropy of the one-way speed of light in the synchronization of clocks, as it stands, Einstein’s views do not seem to apply to the whole of the Minkowski space-time. In this work we will see how Einstein’s views can be applied to the Minkowski space-time. In this way, when adopting Einstein’s views, chronogeometry is a physical chron…Read more
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The Gauge Interpretation of the Conventionality of SimultaneityLato Sensu: Revue de la Société de Philosophie des Sciences 5 (2): 1-13. 2018.In this work we will consider gauge interpretations of the conventionality of simultaneity as developed initially by Anderson and Stedman, and later by Rynasiewicz. We will make a critical reassessment of these interpretations in relation to the “tradition” as developed in particular by Reichenbach, Grünbaum, and Edwards. This paper will address different issues, including: the relation between these two gauge interpretations; what advantages or defects these gauge approaches might have; how “ne…Read more
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Einstein's redshift derivations: its history from 1907 to 1921Circumscribere: International Journal for the History of Science 22 1-16. 2018.Einstein's gravitational redshift derivation in his famous 1916 paper on general relativity seems to be problematic, being mired in what looks like conceptual difficulties or at least contradictions or gaps in his exposition. Was this derivation a blunder? To answer this question, we will consider Einstein’s redshift derivations from his first one in 1907 to the 1921 derivation made in his Princeton lectures on relativity. This will enable to see the unfolding of an interdependent network of con…Read more
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The Conventionality of Simultaneity and Einstein’s Conventionality of GeometryKairos 20 (1): 159-180. 2018.The conventionality of simultaneity thesis as established by Reichenbach and Grünbaum is related to the partial freedom in the definition of simultaneity in an inertial reference frame. An apparently altogether different issue is that of the conventionality of spatial geometry, or more generally the conventionality of chronogeometry when taking also into account the conventionality of the uniformity of time. Here we will consider Einstein’s version of the conventionality of geometry, according t…Read more
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What do light clocks say to us regarding the so-called clock hypothesis?Theoria: Revista de Teoría, Historia y Fundamentos de la Ciencia 33 (3): 435-446. 2018.The clock hypothesis is taken to be an assumption independent of special relativity necessary to describe accelerated clocks. This enables to equate the time read off by a clock to the proper time. Here, it is considered a physical system–the light clock–proposed by Marzke and Wheeler. Recently, Fletcher proved a theorem that shows that a sufficiently small light clock has a time reading that approximates to an arbitrary degree the proper time. The clock hypothesis is not necessary to arrive at …Read more
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Perverted Space-Time Geodesy in Einstein’s Views on GeometryPhilosophia Scientiae 22 137-162. 2018.Une géodésie spatio-temporelle pervertie résulte des notions de règles et d’horloges variables, qui sont prises pour avoir leur longueur et leur rythme affectés par le champ gravitationnel. D’autre part ce que nous pourrions appeler une géodésie concrète repose sur les notions de règles et d’horloges invariables de mesure d’unité. En fait, il s’agit d’une hypothèse de base de la relativité générale. Les règles et les horloges variables conduisent à une géodésie pervertie dans le sens où un espac…Read more
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Time in the Theory of Relativity: Inertial Time, Light Clocks, and Proper TimeJournal for General Philosophy of Science / Zeitschrift für Allgemeine Wissenschaftstheorie 50 (1): 13-27. 2019.In a way similar to classical mechanics where we have the concept of inertial time as expressed in the motions of bodies, in the theory of relativity we can regard the inertial time as the only notion of time at play. The inertial time is expressed also in the propagation of light. This gives rise to a notion of clock—the light clock, which we can regard as a notion derived from the inertial time. The light clock can be seen as a solution of the theory, which complies with the requirement that a…Read more
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Geometry of motion: some elements of its historical developmentArtefaCToS. Revista de Estudios de la Ciencia y la Tecnología 8 (2): 4-26. 2019.in this paper we return to Marshall Clagett’s view about the existence of an ancient Greek geometry of motion. It can be read in two ways. As a basic presentation of ancient Greek geometry of motion, followed by some aspects of its further development in landmark works by Galileo and Newton. Conversely, it can be read as a basic presentation of aspects of Galileo’s and Newton’s mathematics that can be considered as developments of a geometry of motion that was first conceived by ancient Greek ma…Read more
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On Archimedes’ staticsTheoria. An International Journal for Theory, History and Foundations of Science 35 (2): 235-242. 2020.Archimedes’ statics is considered as an example of ancient Greek applied mathematics; it is even seen as the beginning of mechanics. Wilbur Knorr made the case regarding this work, as other works by him or other mathematicians from ancient Greece, that it lacks references to the physical phenomena it is supposed to address. According to Knorr, this is understandable if we consider the propositions of the treatise in terms of purely mathematical elaborations suggested by quantitative aspects of t…Read more
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From practical to pure geometry and backRevista Brasileira de História da Matemática 20 (39): 13-33. 2020.The purpose of this work is to address the relation existing between ancient Greek practical geometry and ancient Greek pure geometry. In the first part of the work, we will consider practical and pure geometry and how pure geometry can be seen, in some respects, as arising from an idealization of practical geometry. From an analysis of relevant extant texts, we will make explicit the idealizations at play in pure geometry in relation to practical geometry, some of which are basically explicit i…Read more
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Geometrical objects and figures in practical, pure, and applied geometryDisputatio. Philosophical Research Bulletin 9 (15): 33-51. 2020.
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On the correctness of problem solving in ancient mathematical procedure textsRevista de Humanidades de Valparaíso 16 169-189. 2020.It has been argued in relation to Old Babylonian mathematical procedure texts that their validity or correctness is self-evident. One “sees” that the procedure is correct without it having, or being accompanied by, any explicit arguments for the correctness of the procedure. Even when agreeing with this view, one might still ask about how is the correctness of a procedure articulated? In this work, we present an articulation of the correctness of ancient Egyptian and Old Babylonian mathematical …Read more
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In this paper, we will make explicit the relationship that exists between geometric objects and geometric figures in planar Euclidean geometry. That will enable us to determine basic features regarding the role of geometric figures and diagrams when used in the context of pure and applied planar Euclidean geometry, arising due to this relationship. By taking into account pure geometry, as developed in Euclid’s Elements, and practical geometry, we will establish a relation between geometric objec…Read more