Mirroring as an a priori symmetry

Saunders, Simon (2007) Mirroring as an a priori symmetry.

Abstract

A relationist will account for the use of `left' and `right' in terms of relative orientations, and other properties and relations invariant under mirroring. This analysis will apply whenever mirroring is a symmetry, so it certainly applies to classical mechanics; we argue it applies to any physical theory formulated on a manifold: it is in this sense an a priori symmetry. It should apply in particular to parity-violating theories in quantum mechanics; mirror symmetry is only broken in such theories as a special symmetry.