nLab Converging Realities -- Toward a common philosophy of physics and mathematics

Context

Philosophy

Physics

physics, mathematical physics, philosophy of physics

Surveys, textbooks and lecture notes


theory (physics), model (physics)

experiment, measurement, computable physics

Mathematics

This page collect hyperlinks related to the book

  • Roland Omnès,

    Converging Realities: Toward a common philosophy of physics and mathematics

    Princeton University Press, 2005

on the philosophy of mathematics and the philosophy of physics.

A review by David Corfield is here: pdf

The thesis of the book – called physism – is the following (from p. 215)

There are basic axioms for logic and mathematics. These axioms are laws of physics. They are recognized through two inseparable criteria: their fecundity in the construction of mathematics and their necessity for a statement of the law of physics. Their fecundity can be explained in view of the universality, subtlety, and richness of the laws: the basic axioms must be fecund enough to allow a statement of the laws in the language of mathematics. Conversely, they generate every possible field of mathematics. New laws, new axioms, new fields, are possible and they may be discovered by further research. Consistency is equally necessary in mathematics and in the laws of physics, which are inseparable. Consistency cannot be explained, but it stands as one of the two criteria of truth. The other one is experimental falsification of a mathematical proposition purporting to express a law of nature.

category: reference

Last revised on January 5, 2014 at 06:07:01. See the history of this page for a list of all contributions to it.