Holster, Andrew (2003) The incompleteness of extensional object languages of physics and time reversal. Part 1. [Preprint]

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Abstract

This paper argues that ordinary object languages for fundamental physics are incomplete, essentially because they are extensional, and consequently lack any adequate formal representation of contingency. It is shown that it is impossible to formulate adequate deduction systems for general transformations in such languages. This is argued in detail for the time reversal transformation. Two important controversies about the application of time reversal in quantum mechanics are summarized at the start, to provide the context of this problem, and show its serious implications, but the aim here is not to solve these problems. The flaw is not special to quantum mechanics: it is a general feature traced to extensionality, and demonstrated through a simple example in classical physics. It is proposed that this defect can be overcome by extending to an intensional semantics, but this involves extending the usual formalism of physics. A detailed proposal for such an extension is given in Part 2.

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Item Type:	Preprint
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Holster, Andrew
Keywords:	time reversal, logic of physics, quantum mechanics
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Physics Specific Sciences > Physics > Quantum Mechanics
Depositing User:	[Nil] [Nil]
Date Deposited:	21 Oct 2003
Last Modified:	07 Oct 2010 15:12
Item ID:	1451
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Physics Specific Sciences > Physics > Quantum Mechanics
Date:	October 2003
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/1451

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