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T Falls Apart: On the Status of Classical Temperature in Relativity

Chua, Eugene (2022) T Falls Apart: On the Status of Classical Temperature in Relativity. In: UNSPECIFIED.

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Abstract

Taking the formal analogies between black holes and classical thermodynamics seriously seems to first require that classical thermodynamics applies in relativistic regimes. Yet, by scrutinizing how classical temperature is extended into special relativity, I argue that the concept falls apart. I examine four consilient procedures for establishing the classical temperature: the Carnot process, the thermometer, kinetic theory, and black-body radiation. I argue that their relativistic counterparts demonstrate no such consilience in defining the relativistic temperature. As such, classical temperature doesn’t appear to survive a relativistic extension. I suggest two interpretations for this situation: eliminativism akin to simultaneity, or pluralism akin to rotation.


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Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item (UNSPECIFIED)
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCID
Chua, Eugeneeychua@ucsd.edu0000-0002-3169-7563
Additional Information: Accepted for presentation at PSA2022.
Keywords: temperature special relativity philosophy of physics philosophy of science concept extension thermodynamics eliminativism pluralism
Subjects: General Issues > History of Science Case Studies
General Issues > Philosophers of Science
Specific Sciences > Physics > Relativity Theory
Specific Sciences > Physics > Statistical Mechanics/Thermodynamics
General Issues > Theory Change
Depositing User: Dr. Eugene Y. S. Chua
Date Deposited: 15 Jun 2022 03:10
Last Modified: 15 Jun 2022 03:10
Item ID: 20744
Subjects: General Issues > History of Science Case Studies
General Issues > Philosophers of Science
Specific Sciences > Physics > Relativity Theory
Specific Sciences > Physics > Statistical Mechanics/Thermodynamics
General Issues > Theory Change
Date: June 2022
URI: https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/20744

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