Scholars Award: Structuralist Approaches to Physics

我们的物理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？大多数答案包括对对象及其属性的吸引力。上个世纪物理学的发展引出了另一种答案：结构主义。结构主义者声称物理理论只告诉我们结构。这意味着什么是有争议的，有许多不同的结构主义。这个项目的目的是检查结构主义反应发生的原因，并评估这种反应的可行性。知识价值。从历史上看，结构主义的反应发生在两个阶段。第一次是在20世纪初，包括庞加莱、罗素和卡尔纳普等重要人物。第二次是从Worrall 1989年的论文开始的，目前仍在进行中。该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。这是通过以下方式实现的：(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）在这个“哲学地图”的背景下定位当前的辩论。布莱德认为，这将产生立竿见影的影响，为现有结构主义选择的范围及其优缺点提供了戏剧性的清晰度。在第二部分中，Brading通过一系列从具有解释性挑战性的物理领域抽取的案例研究，发展了她的结构主义版本。由于她之前在物理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。更广泛的影响。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史家的兴趣，并有助于这些学科之间的对话。更广泛的意义在于上面的开始问题，它超出了项目的范围，延伸到方法和资金等问题。研究结果将在该领域的主要期刊上发表，并在美国和国外的会议和大学发表演讲。第一部分涉及建立一个将向公众开放的结构主义数据库。“哲学地图”具有很强的教学价值。Brading正在为这个项目培养两名研究生RAs进行独立研究。物理学哲学是一个男性主导的领域，布莱德很高兴在她的团队中包括一位希望从事物理学哲学事业的女性注册会计师。

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.