Guo, Bixin (2020) Two Approaches to Reduction: A Case Study from Statistical Mechanics. [Preprint]

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Abstract

I argue that there are two distinct approaches to understand reduction: the ontology-first approach and the theory-first approach. Further, I argue for the significance of this distinction by demonstrating that either one or the other approach has been taken as an implicit assumption in, and has in fact shaped, our understanding of what statistical mechanics is. More specifically, I argue that the Boltzmannian framework of statistical mechanics assumes and relies on the ontology-first approach, whereas the Gibbsian framework should assume the theory-first approach.

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Item Type:	Preprint
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Guo, Bixin big15@pitt.edu
Keywords:	Reduction, Statistical mechanics
Subjects:	General Issues > Scientific Metaphysics General Issues > Philosophers of Science Specific Sciences > Physics General Issues > Reductionism/Holism Specific Sciences > Physics > Statistical Mechanics/Thermodynamics
Depositing User:	Bixin Guo
Date Deposited:	10 Apr 2022 18:36
Last Modified:	10 Apr 2022 18:36
Item ID:	20433
Subjects:	General Issues > Scientific Metaphysics General Issues > Philosophers of Science Specific Sciences > Physics General Issues > Reductionism/Holism Specific Sciences > Physics > Statistical Mechanics/Thermodynamics
Date:	September 2020
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/20433

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• Two Approaches to Reduction: A Case Study from Statistical Mechanics. (deposited 10 Apr 2022 18:36) [Currently Displayed]
  • Two Approaches to Reduction: A Case Study from Statistical Mechanics. (deposited 06 Nov 2023 15:57)

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