Appraising Lakatos

Appraising Lakatos
Author: György Kampis
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 388
Release: 2013-06-29
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9401707693

Imre Lakatos (1922-1974) was one of the protagonists in shaping the "new philosophy of science". More than 25 years after his untimely death, it is time for a critical re-evaluation of his ideas. His main theme of locating rationality within the scientific process appears even more compelling today, after many historical case studies have revealed the cultural and societal elements within scientific practices. Recently there has been, above all, an increasing interest in Lakatos' philosophy of mathematics, which emphasises heuristics and mathematical practice over logical justification. But suitable modifications of his approach are called for in order to make it applicable to modern axiomatised theories. Pioneering historical research in England and Hungary has unearthed hitherto unknown facts about Lakatos' personal life, his wartime activities and his involvement in the political developments of post-war Europe. From a communist activist committed to Györgyi Lukács' thinking, Lakatos developed into a staunch anti-Marxist who found his intellectual background in Popper's critical rationalism. The volume also publishes for the first time a part of his Debrecen Ph.D. thesis and it is concluded by a bibliography of his Hungarian writings.

Great Experiments in Physics

Great Experiments in Physics
Author: Morris H. Shamos
Publisher: Courier Corporation
Total Pages: 384
Release: 2012-10-16
Genre: Science
ISBN: 048613962X

Starting with Galileo's experiments with motion, this study of 25 crucial discoveries includes Newton's laws of motion, Chadwick's study of the neutron, Hertz on electromagnetic waves, and more.

Quantum Non-Locality and Relativity

Quantum Non-Locality and Relativity
Author: Tim Maudlin
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 315
Release: 2011-05-06
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1444331264

The third edition of Quantum Non-Locality and Relativity has been carefully updated to reflect significant developments, including a new chapter covering important recent work in the foundations of physics. A new edition of the premier philosophical study of Bell’s Theorem and its implication for the relativistic account of space and time Discusses Roderich Tumiulka’s explicit, relativistic theory that can reproduce the quantum mechanical violation of Bell’s inequality. Discusses the "Free Will Theorem" of John Conway and Simon Kochen Introduces philosophers to the relevant physics and demonstrates how philosophical analysis can help inform physics

Landmark Experiments in Twentieth-Century Physics

Landmark Experiments in Twentieth-Century Physics
Author: George L. Trigg
Publisher: Courier Corporation
Total Pages: 338
Release: 2013-03-21
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0486151204

Clear, detailed explorations feature extensive quotations from original research papers in their coverage of groundbreaking research. Topics include x-rays, superconductivity, neutrinos, lasers, and many other subjects. 120 illustrations. 1975 edition.

What Makes a Good Experiment?

What Makes a Good Experiment?
Author: Allan Franklin
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2016
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9780822944416

What makes a good experiment? Although experimental evidence plays an essential role in science, as Franklin argues, there is no algorithm or simple set of criteria for ranking or evaluating good experiments, and therefore no definitive answer to the question. Experiments can, in fact, be good in any number of ways: conceptually good, methodologically good, technically good, and pedagogically important. And perfection is not a requirement: even experiments with incorrect results can be good, though they must, he argues, be methodologically good, providing good reasons for belief in their results. Franklin revisits the same important question he posed in his 1981 article in the British Journal for the Philosophy of Science, when it was generally believed that the only significant role of experiment in science was to test theories. But experiments can actually play a lot of different roles in science--they can, for example, investigate a subject for which a theory does not exist, help to articulate an existing theory, call for a new theory, or correct incorrect or misinterpreted results. This book provides details of good experiments, with examples from physics and biology, illustrating the various ways they can be good and the different roles they can play.

The Anomalous Magnetic Moment of the Muon

The Anomalous Magnetic Moment of the Muon
Author: Fred Jegerlehner
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 433
Release: 2008
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3540726330

This book reviews the present state of knowledge of the anomalous magnetic moment a=(g-2)/2 of the muon. The muon anomalous magnetic moment is one of the most precisely measured quantities in elementary particle physics and provides one of the most stringent tests of relativistic quantum field theory as a fundamental theoretical framework. It allows for an extremely precise check of the standard model of elementary particles and of its limitations.

Fields of Color

Fields of Color
Author: Rodney A Brooks
Publisher: Independently Published
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2010-12-14
Genre:
ISBN:

Fields of Color explains Quantum Field Theory to a lay audience without equations. It shows how this often overlooked theory resolves the weirdness of Quantum Mechanics and the paradoxes of Relativity. The third edition contains a new solution to the measurement problem ("the most controversial problem in physics today") and shows the quantum basis for Einstein's famous E = mc2.

Teaching-Learning Contemporary Physics

Teaching-Learning Contemporary Physics
Author: Beata Jarosievitz
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 279
Release: 2021-09-15
Genre: Education
ISBN: 3030787206

This book presents research contributions focussing on the introduction of contemporary physics topics – mainly, but not exclusively, quantum physics – into high school currciula. Despite the important advances and discoveries in quantum physics and relativity which have revolutionized our views of nature and our everyday lives, the presence of these topics in high school physics education is still lacking. In this book physics education researchers report on the teaching and learning of quantum physics from different perspectives and discuss the design and use of different pedagogical approaches and educational pathways. There is still much debate as to what content is appropriate at high school level as well what pedagogical approaches and strategies should be adopted to support student learning. Currently there is a greater focus on how to teach modern physics at the high school level rather than classical physics. However, teachers still lack experience and availability of appropriate teaching and learning materials to support the coherent integration of Quantum Physics in high school curricula. All of the 19 papers presented in this book discuss innovative approaches for enhancing physics education in schools.