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Perennial Symmetry Arguments: Aristotle’s Heavenly Cosmology and Noether’s First Theorem

Miller, Ryan (2019) Perennial Symmetry Arguments: Aristotle’s Heavenly Cosmology and Noether’s First Theorem. Proceedings of the American Catholic Philosophical Association, 93.

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Abstract

Attempts to find perennial elements in Aristotle’s cosmology are doomed to failure because his distinction of sub- and supra-lunary realms no longer holds. More fruitful approaches to the contemporary importance of Aristotelian cosmology must focus on parities of reasoning rather than content. This paper highlights the striking parallels between Aristotle’s use of symmetry arguments in cosmology and instances of Noether’s First Theorem in contemporary physics. Both observe simple motion, find symmetries in that motion, argue from those symmetries to notions of conservation, and then conclude to cosmological structure. These parallels reveal an enduring relevance for Aristotelian cosmology that does not depend on positing an enduring content to his cosmological claims.


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Item Type: Published Article or Volume
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCID
Miller, Ryan66millerr@cua.edu0000-0003-0268-2570
Keywords: cosmology, symmetry, Aristotle, Noether's theorem
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Physics > Cosmology
Specific Sciences > Physics > Fields and Particles
General Issues > History of Philosophy of Science
General Issues > Structure of Theories
Specific Sciences > Physics > Symmetries/Invariances
General Issues > Theory Change
Depositing User: Ryan Miller
Date Deposited: 29 Apr 2021 15:13
Last Modified: 29 Apr 2021 15:13
Item ID: 18960
Journal or Publication Title: Proceedings of the American Catholic Philosophical Association
Official URL: https://www.pdcnet.org/acpaproc/content/acpaproc_2...
DOI or Unique Handle: 10.5840/acpaproc2021427121
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Physics > Cosmology
Specific Sciences > Physics > Fields and Particles
General Issues > History of Philosophy of Science
General Issues > Structure of Theories
Specific Sciences > Physics > Symmetries/Invariances
General Issues > Theory Change
Date: 2019
Volume: 93
URI: https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/18960

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