Scholars Award: Structuralist Approaches to Physics

我们的物理学理论告诉我们关于世界的什么，为什么我们有理由相信它们所说的？大多数答案包括对物体及其属性的吸引力。物理学在上个世纪的发展已经提出了一种不同的答案：结构主义。结构主义者声称物理学理论只告诉我们结构。这意味着什么是有争议的，有许多品种的结构主义。这个项目的目的是研究为什么结构主义的反应发生的原因，并评估这种反应的可行性。从历史上看，结构主义的反应分为两个阶段。第一次是在世纪早期，包括庞加莱、罗素和卡尔纳普等重要人物。第二个开始于Worrall 1989年的论文，并正在进行中。本项目的第一部分旨在根据当前辩论的需要，对历史资料进行系统的处理。这是通过（i）根据五个特定的标准分析每个历史人物的结构主义观点，以及（ii）在这张“哲学地图”的背景下定位当前的辩论来实现的。布拉丁认为，这将产生直接的影响，提供戏剧性的清晰度，以结构主义的选择范围，以及他们的优势和劣势。在第二部分中，布拉丁通过一系列从解释上具有挑战性的物理学领域中得出的案例研究，发展了她的结构主义。凭借她之前在物理学技术哲学方面的研究，特别是对称性，以及她在国际结构主义研讨会上的持续参与，Brading非常有资格承担这个大胆的项目。该项目旨在引起科学家、科学和物理哲学家以及科学和物理历史学家的兴趣，并促进这些学科之间的对话。更广泛的意义在于上面的开头问题，它超出了项目的范围，涉及方法和资金等问题。研究结果将通过在该领域的主要期刊上发表文章，以及在美国和国外的会议和大学上发表演讲来传播。第一部分涉及创建一个结构主义数据库，将向公众开放。“哲学地图”具有很强的教学价值。布拉丁正在培训两名研究生RA在这个项目上的独立研究。物理学哲学是一个男性主导的领域，布拉丁很高兴在她的团队中包括一名女性RA，她希望从事物理学哲学的职业。

What do our theories in physics tell us about the world, and why are we justified in believing what they say? Most answers include an appeal to objects and their properties. Developments in physics over the last century have prompted a different kind of answer: structuralism. Structuralists claim that theories in physics tell us only about structure. What this means is controversial, and there are many varieties of structuralism. The aim of this project is to examine the reasons why the structuralist response occurs, and to assess the viability of such responses.Intellectual merit. Historically, the structuralist response occurred in two phases. The first, in the early 20th century, included such major figures as Poincare, Russell, and Carnap. The second began with Worrall's 1989 paper, and is ongoing. Part I of this project aims to provide a systematic treatment of the historical sources, informed by the needs of the current debate. This is achieved by (i) analyzing the structuralist views of each historical figure against five specified criteria, and (ii) locating the current debate against the background of this 'philosophical map'. Brading contends that this will have an immediate impact, providing dramatic clarity to the range of structuralist options available, and their strengths and weaknesses. In Part II, Brading develops her version of structuralism, via a range of case studies drawn from interpretationally challenging areas of physics. With her prior research in technical philosophy of physics, especially symmetries, and her continuing involvement in an international structuralism workshop, Brading is ideally qualified to take on this bold project.Broader impacts. The project is intended to be of interest to scientists, philosophers of science and physics, and historians of science and physics, and to contribute to the dialogue between these disciplines. The broader significance lies in the opening question, above, which extends beyond the scope of the project to such issues as methodology and funding. Dissemination of the results will be through publications in leading journals in the field, and presentations at conferences and universities both in the U.S.A. and abroad. Part I involves the creation of a structuralism database that will be made publicly available. The 'philosophical map' has strong pedagogical value. Brading is training two graduate RAs on this project in independent research. Philosophy of physics is a male-dominated field, and Brading is pleased to include on her team one female RA, who hopes to pursue a career in philosophy of physics.