Reutlinger, Alexander (2013) Why Is There Universal Macro-Behavior? Renormalization Group Explanation As Non-causal Explanation. In: UNSPECIFIED.
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Abstract
Renormalization group (RG) methods are an established strategy to explain how it is possible that microscopically different systems exhibit virtually the same macro behavior when undergoing phase-transitions. I argue – in agreement with Robert Batterman – that RG explanations are non-causal explanations. However, Batterman misidentifies the reason why RG explanations are non-causal: it is not the case that an explanation is non- causal if it ignores causal details. I propose an alternative argument, according to which RG explanations are non-causal explanations because their explanatory power is due to the application mathematical operations, which do not serve the purpose of representing causal relations.
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| Item Type: | Conference or Workshop Item (UNSPECIFIED) | ||||||
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| Additional Information: | forthcoming in Philosophy of Science (PSA 2012 Symposia) | ||||||
| Keywords: | explanation; non-causal explanation; renormalization group explanation; universality | ||||||
| Subjects: | General Issues > Causation Specific Sciences > Complex Systems General Issues > Explanation Specific Sciences > Physics > Statistical Mechanics/Thermodynamics Specific Sciences > Physics > Symmetries/Invariances |
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| Depositing User: | Alexander Reutlinger | ||||||
| Date Deposited: | 12 Dec 2013 14:53 | ||||||
| Last Modified: | 12 Dec 2013 14:53 | ||||||
| Item ID: | 10130 | ||||||
| Subjects: | General Issues > Causation Specific Sciences > Complex Systems General Issues > Explanation Specific Sciences > Physics > Statistical Mechanics/Thermodynamics Specific Sciences > Physics > Symmetries/Invariances |
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| Date: | 1 November 2013 | ||||||
| URI: | https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/10130 |
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