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An Alternative Interpretation of Probability Measures in Statistical Mechanics

McCoy, C.D. (2015) An Alternative Interpretation of Probability Measures in Statistical Mechanics. [Preprint]

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Abstract

I offer an alternative interpretation of classical statistical mechanics and the role of probability in the
theory. In my view the stochasticity of statistical mechanics is associated directly with the observables
rather than microstates. This view requires taking seriously the idea that the physical state of a statistical mechanical system is a probability measure, thereby avoiding the unnecessary ontological presupposition that the system is composed of a large number of classical particles.

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Item Type: Preprint
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCID
McCoy, C.D. cdmccoy@ucsd.edu
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Physics > Statistical Mechanics/Thermodynamics
Depositing User: Dr. Casey McCoy
Date Deposited: 05 Sep 2015 13:29
Last Modified: 05 Sep 2015 13:29
Item ID: 11658
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Physics > Statistical Mechanics/Thermodynamics
Date: 1 July 2015
URI: https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/11658

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