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Time reversal in classical electromagnetism

Arntzenius, Frank and Greaves, Hilary (2007) Time reversal in classical electromagnetism. [Preprint]

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    Abstract

    Richard Feynman has claimed that anti-particles are nothing but particles `propagating backwards in time'; that time reversing a particle state always turns it into the corresponding anti-particle state. According to standard quantum field theory textbooks this is not so: time reversal does not turn particles into anti-particles. Feynman's view is interesting because, in particular, it suggests a nonstandard, and possibly illuminating, interpretation of the CPT theorem. In this paper, we explore a classical analog of Feynman's view, in the context of the recent debate between David Albert and David Malament over time reversal in classical electromagnetism.

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    Item Type: Preprint
    Commentary on: Malament, David(2003) "On the Time Reversal Invariance of Classical Electromagnetic Theory". [Preprint]
    Keywords: Time reversal, electromagnetism, antiparticles
    Subjects: Specific Sciences > Physics > Classical Physics
    Specific Sciences > Physics > Symmetries/Invariances
    Specific Sciences > Physics > Fields and Particles
    Depositing User: Hilary Greaves
    Date Deposited: 06 Apr 2007
    Last Modified: 07 Oct 2010 11:15
    Item ID: 3280
    URI: http://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/3280

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