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Physics and chance. Philosophical issues in the foundations of statistical mechanics

Physics and chance. Philosophical issues in the foundations of statistical mechanics Journal of Statistical Physics, Vol. 78, Nos. 3/4, 1995 Book Review: Physics and Chance Physics and Chance. Philosophical Issues in the Foundations of Statistical Mechanics. Lawrence Sklar, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1993. This book presents an engaging exposition of the material it sets out to discuss, namely the foundational issues in statistical mechanics. The topic is not one that lends itself to lucid presentation. Part of the reason, as the author suggests, is the multiplicity of what constitutes the "foundations problem" in statistical mechanics. This is accompanied by the diversity of perspectives and methodologies that bear on the discussion. The book sets out to bring into focus the various problems and the attempts to resolve them in a systematic fashion. Overall, it is fairly successful. An unqualified success in this endeavor might have to await the completion of the program the book discusses. In a sense, this is one of the conclusions of the author also. The book begins with a historical sketch of the beginnings of statistical mechanics at the hands of Maxwell, Boltzmann, and Gibbs. This sketch, including discussions of the H-theorem, the early objections, the introduc- tion of probabilistic notions, the ergodic hypothesis, and so on http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Journal of Statistical Physics Springer Journals

Physics and chance. Philosophical issues in the foundations of statistical mechanics

Sastry, Srikanth
Journal of Statistical Physics , Volume 78 (4) – Sep 3, 2005
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Publisher
Springer Journals
Copyright
Copyright
Subject
Physics; Statistical Physics and Dynamical Systems; Theoretical, Mathematical and Computational Physics; Physical Chemistry; Quantum Physics
ISSN
0022-4715
eISSN
1572-9613
DOI
10.1007/BF02183716
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Journal of Statistical Physics, Vol. 78, Nos. 3/4, 1995 Book Review: Physics and Chance Physics and Chance. Philosophical Issues in the Foundations of Statistical Mechanics. Lawrence Sklar, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1993. This book presents an engaging exposition of the material it sets out to discuss, namely the foundational issues in statistical mechanics. The topic is not one that lends itself to lucid presentation. Part of the reason, as the author suggests, is the multiplicity of what constitutes the "foundations problem" in statistical mechanics. This is accompanied by the diversity of perspectives and methodologies that bear on the discussion. The book sets out to bring into focus the various problems and the attempts to resolve them in a systematic fashion. Overall, it is fairly successful. An unqualified success in this endeavor might have to await the completion of the program the book discusses. In a sense, this is one of the conclusions of the author also. The book begins with a historical sketch of the beginnings of statistical mechanics at the hands of Maxwell, Boltzmann, and Gibbs. This sketch, including discussions of the H-theorem, the early objections, the introduc- tion of probabilistic notions, the ergodic hypothesis, and so on

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Journal of Statistical Physics – Springer Journals

Published: Sep 3, 2005

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