Fletcher, Samuel C. (2020) Similarity Structure and Diachronic Emergence. Synthese. ISSN 1573-0964

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Abstract

I provide a formally precise account of diachronic emergence of properties as described within scientific theories, extending a recent account of synchronic emergence using similarity structure on the theories' models. This similarity structure approach to emergent properties uni�es the synchronic and diachronic types by revealing that they only differ in how they delineate the domains of application of theories. This allows it to apply also to cases where the synchronic/diachronic distinction is unclear, such as spacetime emergence from theories of quantum gravity. In addition, I discuss two further case studies - finite periodicity in van der Pol oscillators and two-dimensional quasiparticles in the fractional quantum Hall effect - to facilitate comparison of this approach to others in the literature on concepts of emergence applicable to the sciences. My discussion of the fractional quantum Hall effect in particular may be of independent interest to philosophers of physics concerned with its interpretation.

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Item Type:	Published Article or Volume
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Fletcher, Samuel C. scfletch@umn.edu 0000-0002-9061-8976
Additional Information:	This is a postprint, pre-copyedited version. Also available on author's website.
Keywords:	Diachronic emergence, Synchronic emergence, Similarity structure, van der Pol oscillator, Fractional quantum Hall effect, Spacetime emergence
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Physics > Classical Physics Specific Sciences > Physics > Condensed Matter General Issues > Models and Idealization General Issues > Reductionism/Holism
Depositing User:	Prof. Samuel C. Fletcher
Date Deposited:	29 May 2020 03:29
Last Modified:	29 May 2020 03:29
Item ID:	17241
Journal or Publication Title:	Synthese
Publisher:	Springer (Springer Science+Business Media B.V.)
DOI or Unique Handle:	10.1007/s11229-020-02605-3
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Physics > Classical Physics Specific Sciences > Physics > Condensed Matter General Issues > Models and Idealization General Issues > Reductionism/Holism
Date:	20 February 2020
ISSN:	1573-0964
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/17241

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