Forces/Interactions and Fields: Toward a Metaphysics of the Actual World

戈登·凯恩，密歇根大学“力/相互作用和场：走向现实世界的形而上学”形而上学的辩论往往很少关注当代科学概念，假设和方法。 合作PI过去对物理主义和涌现主义的研究表明，哲学家不能总是忽视这一点，因为可行地制定这些形而上学命题需要呼吁，首先，基本力或相互作用的概念;其次，（只要基本力/相互作用被视为相互作用场的系统）场的概念。更一般地说，我们得到最好证实的科学理论是场论;但除了少数例外（包括Sunny Auyang，Tian Cao和Paul Teller）哲学家们并没有从事制定场形而上学的前提和蕴涵的任务，和形而上学的争论通常以德谟克利特和休谟的那种原子论形而上学为前提。PI的科学理解必要的帮助纠正这种忽视。第一部分是在密歇根大学学习高级物理学，在戈登·凯恩的坚定指导下，他是一位杰出的物理学家，致力于量子场论的超对称扩展。该课程将包括旁听几门现代物理学的研究生课程，并指导学习规范理论和量子场论的额外文本，以及每周与凯恩举行会议，讨论当代物理学的技术和概念基础。该提案的第二个组成部分包括将物理培训应用于基础本体论项目（特别是关于一个领域的形而上学），并在形而上学和科学哲学期刊上传播结果。相关论文包括《量子场的特殊性质》和《场形而上学中非场细节的现实》。 更广泛地说，共同PI将探讨力/相互作用和场的概念对有关因果关系，法律和模态的形而上学辩论的影响。由于这些争论倾向于在原子论原则下进行，即自然界中没有必要的（本体论或因果关系）联系（从科学知情的场形而上学的角度来看，该原则被破坏），因此拟议的研究具有相当大的潜在影响。该提案还对学院中三个男性占主导地位的领域的性别平等造成了三重打击：物理学，基础形而上学和物理哲学。

Project AbstractSES 0327550Gordon Kane, University of Michigan"Forces/Interactions and Fields: Toward a Metaphysics of the Actual World"Metaphysical debates often proceed with little attention to contemporary scientific concepts, hypotheses and methodology. The co-PI's past research into physicalism and emergentism shows that philosophers cannot always afford this neglect, for viably formulating these metaphysical theses requires appeal, first, to the notion of a fundamental force or interaction; and second, (insofar as fundamental forces/interactions are standardly taken to be systems of interacting fields) to the notion of a field. More generally, our best-confirmed scientific theories are field theories; yet with few exceptions (including Sunny Auyang, Tian Cao, and Paul Teller) philosophers have not engaged the task of working out the presuppositions and entailments of a field metaphysics, and metaphysical debates commonly presuppose the sort of atomistic metaphysics associated with Democritus and Hume.This proposal aims to give the co-PI the scientific understanding necessary to help correct this neglect. The first component consists in studying advanced physics at the University of Michigan, under the committed guidance of Gordon Kane, an eminent physicist working on super-symmetric extensions of quantum field theory. The course of study will consist in auditing several graduate courses in modern physics, supplemented by directed study of additional texts on gauge theories and quantum field theory, coupled with weekly meetings with Kane addressing the technical and conceptual foundations of contemporary physics.The second component of the proposal consists in applying physics training to projects in fundamental ontology (especially as pertaining to a field metaphysics), and disseminating the results in metaphysics and philosophy of science journals. Relevant papers include "The Particular Nature of the Quantum Field" and "The Reality of Non-field Particulars on a Field Metaphysics". More broadly, the co-PI will explore the impact of the concepts of force/interaction and field on metaphysical debates concerning causality, laws and modality. Since these debates tend to proceed under the atomistic principle that there are no necessary (ontological or causal) connections in nature (which principle is undermined from the perspective of a scientifically-informed field metaphysics), the proposed research is of considerable potential impact. The proposal also strikes a triple-blow for gender equality in three of the most male-dominated areas of the academy: physics, foundational metaphysics, and philosophy of physics.