Wallace, David (2019) Isolated Systems and their Symmetries, Part I: General Framework and Particle-Mechanics Examples. [Preprint]

Preview

Text isolated systems.pdf Download (352kB) | Preview

Abstract

Physical theories, for the most part, should be understood as modelling isolated subsystems of a larger Universe; doing so, among other benefits, greatly clarifies the interpretation of the dynamical symmetries of those theories. I provide a detailed framework for analysing the subsystem structure of physical theories and applying it to the interpretation of their symmetries: the core concept is subsystem-recursivity, whereby interpretative conclusions about a sector of a theory can be deduced from considering subsystems of other models of the same theory. I illustrate the framework by extensive examples from nonrelativistic particle mechanics, and in particular from Newtonian theories of gravity. A sequel to the paper will apply the framework to the local and global symmetries of classical field theory.

---

Export/Citation:

EndNote | BibTeX | Dublin Core | ASCII/Text Citation (Chicago) | HTML Citation | OpenURL

Social Networking:

Share |

---

Item Type:	Preprint
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Wallace, David dmw121@pitt.edu
Keywords:	Symmetry Newtonian gravity
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Physics > Classical Physics General Issues > Models and Idealization Specific Sciences > Physics > Symmetries/Invariances
Depositing User:	Professor David Wallace
Date Deposited:	08 Nov 2019 02:13
Last Modified:	08 Nov 2019 02:13
Item ID:	16623
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Physics > Classical Physics General Issues > Models and Idealization Specific Sciences > Physics > Symmetries/Invariances
Date:	2019
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/16623

Available Versions of this Item

• Isolated Systems and their Symmetries, Part I: General Framework and Particle-Mechanics Examples. (deposited 08 Nov 2019 02:13) [Currently Displayed]
  • Isolated Systems and their Symmetries, Part I: General Framework and Particle-Mechanics Examples. (deposited 24 Oct 2021 03:39)

Monthly Views for the past 3 years

Monthly Downloads for the past 3 years

Plum Analytics

Actions (login required)

View Item