Editors:
- Renewed understanding of modern physics offered by the concept of constitution of objectivity
- Contemporary relevance of Kant’s philosophy of science
- Debate between realism and empiricism redefined from a transcendental standpoint
Part of the book series: The Western Ontario Series in Philosophy of Science (WONS, volume 74)
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Table of contents (30 chapters)
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Front Matter
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Historical Survey of Transcendental Readings of Physics
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The Relativized A Priori: Cassirer and the Founders of Logical Positivism
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Transcendental Epistemologies and Modern Physics
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General Issues: Concepts and Principles
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The Scientifi c Revolutions of the Twentieth Century and Beyond
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The Scientifi c Revolutions of the Twentieth Century and Beyond
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About this book
In recent years, many philosophers of modern physics came to the conclusion that the problem of how objectivity is constituted (rather than merely given) can no longer be avoided, and therefore that a transcendental approach in the spirit of Kant is now philosophically relevant. The usual excuse for skipping this task is that the historical form given by Kant to transcendental epistemology has been challenged by Relativity and Quantum Physics. However, the true challenge is not to force modern physics into a rigidly construed static version of Kant’s philosophy, but to provide Kant’s method with flexibility and generality.
In this book, the top specialists of the field pin down the methodological core of transcendental epistemology that must be used in order to throw light on the foundations of modern physics. First, the basic tools Kant used for his transcendental reading of Newtonian Mechanics are examined, and then early transcendental approaches of Relativistic and Quantum Physics are revisited. Transcendental procedures are also applied to contemporary physics, and this renewed transcendental interpretation is finally compared with structural realism and constructive empiricism. The book will be of interest to scientists, historians and philosophers who are involved in the foundational problems of modern physics.
Reviews
From the reviews:
“This collection not only meets its aims, it also uncovers an emerging and exciting field of study with multifaceted possibilities. … It would also function as a remarkably versatile and constructive resource for graduate students working in departments which fall roughly under the banner of history and/or philosophy of science. The more formal articles would also be of great interest to any physicists looking for an alternative to traditional metaphysics–one where the constitution of objectivity becomes paramount.” (Jacob V. Pearce, International Studies in the Philosophy of Science, Vol. 24 (4), December, 2010)Editors and Affiliations
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CREA–Ecole Polytechnique, CNRS, Paris, France
Michel Bitbol
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Université de Toulouse–Le Mirail, Toulouse, France
Pierre Kerszberg
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Sociales and CREA–Ecole Polytechnique, Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences, Paris, France
Jean Petitot
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: Constituting Objectivity
Book Subtitle: Transcendental Perspectives on Modern Physics
Editors: Michel Bitbol, Pierre Kerszberg, Jean Petitot
Series Title: The Western Ontario Series in Philosophy of Science
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-9510-8
Publisher: Springer Dordrecht
eBook Packages: Humanities, Social Sciences and Law, Philosophy and Religion (R0)
Copyright Information: Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2009
Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-4020-9509-2Published: 02 June 2009
Softcover ISBN: 978-90-481-8144-5Published: 28 October 2010
eBook ISBN: 978-1-4020-9510-8Published: 29 March 2009
Series ISSN: 1566-659X
Series E-ISSN: 2215-1974
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: VIII, 544
Topics: Philosophy of Science, History of Science, Epistemology, History and Philosophical Foundations of Physics, Modern Philosophy