Wu, Jingyi (2021) Explaining Universality: Infinite Limit Systems in the Renormalization Group Method. [Preprint]

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Abstract

I analyze the role of infinite idealizations used in the renormalization group (RG hereafter) method in explaining universality across microscopically different physical systems in critical phenomena. I argue that despite the reference to infinite limit systems such as systems with infinite correlation lengths during the RG process, the key to explaining universality in critical phenomena need not involve infinite limit systems. I develop my argument by introducing what I regard as the explanatorily relevant property in RG explanations: linearization* property; I then motivate and prove a proposition about the linearization* property in support of my view. As a result, infinite limit systems in RG explanations are dispensable.

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Item Type:	Preprint
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Wu, Jingyi jingyi.wu@uci.edu 0000-0001-7198-851X
Keywords:	Renormalization Group Method; Scientific Explanation; Infinite Idealizations; Linearization*; Critical Phase Transitions
Subjects:	General Issues > Explanation Specific Sciences > Physics Specific Sciences > Physics > Statistical Mechanics/Thermodynamics
Depositing User:	Jingyi Wu
Date Deposited:	11 Oct 2021 03:43
Last Modified:	11 Oct 2021 03:43
Item ID:	19673
Subjects:	General Issues > Explanation Specific Sciences > Physics Specific Sciences > Physics > Statistical Mechanics/Thermodynamics
Date:	2021
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/19673

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