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Typicality, Irreversibility and the Status of Macroscopic Laws

Lazarovici, Dustin and Reichert, Paula (2014) Typicality, Irreversibility and the Status of Macroscopic Laws. [Preprint]

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Abstract

We discuss Boltzmann's probabilistic explanation of the second law of thermodynamics providing a comprehensive presentation of what is called today the typicality account. Countering its misconception as an alternative explanation, we examine the relation between Boltzmann's H-theorem and the general typicality argument demonstrating the conceptual continuity between the two. We then discuss the philosophical dimensions of the concept of typicality and its relevance for scientific reasoning in general, in particular for understanding the reduction of macroscopic laws to microscopic laws. Finally, we reply to various common criticisms of the typicality account.

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Item Type: Preprint
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCID
Lazarovici, Dustinlazarovici@math.lmu.de
Reichert, Paulareichert@math.lmu.de
Keywords: Boltzmann, Statistical Mechanics, Irreversibility, Entropy, Typicality, Ergodicity, Reductionism
Subjects: General Issues > Reductionism/Holism
Specific Sciences > Physics > Statistical Mechanics/Thermodynamics
Depositing User: Dr. Dustin Lazarovici
Date Deposited: 24 Jul 2014 12:15
Last Modified: 24 Jul 2014 12:15
Item ID: 10895
Subjects: General Issues > Reductionism/Holism
Specific Sciences > Physics > Statistical Mechanics/Thermodynamics
Date: July 2014
URI: https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/10895

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