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An Alternative Interpretation of Statistical Mechanics

McCoy, C.D. (2016) An Alternative Interpretation of 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.casey.mccoy@ed.ac.uk0000-0002-7921-4911
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Physics > Statistical Mechanics/Thermodynamics
Depositing User: Dr. Casey McCoy
Date Deposited: 25 Jan 2017 16:05
Last Modified: 25 Jan 2017 16:05
Item ID: 12772
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Physics > Statistical Mechanics/Thermodynamics
Date: 26 September 2016
URI: https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/12772

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