Switch to: Citations

Add references

You must login to add references.
  1. Epsilon-ergodicity and the success of equilibrium statistical mechanics.Peter B. M. Vranas - 1998 - Philosophy of Science 65 (4):688-708.
    Why does classical equilibrium statistical mechanics work? Malament and Zabell (1980) noticed that, for ergodic dynamical systems, the unique absolutely continuous invariant probability measure is the microcanonical. Earman and Rédei (1996) replied that systems of interest are very probably not ergodic, so that absolutely continuous invariant probability measures very distant from the microcanonical exist. In response I define the generalized properties of epsilon-ergodicity and epsilon-continuity, I review computational evidence indicating that systems of interest are epsilon-ergodic, I adapt Malament and Zabell’s (...)
    Direct download (7 more)  
     
    Export citation  
     
    Bookmark   38 citations  
  • The role of statistical mechanics in classical physics.David Lavis - 1977 - British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 28 (3):255-279.
    Direct download (8 more)  
     
    Export citation  
     
    Bookmark   11 citations  
  • Boltzmann and Gibbs: An attempted reconciliation.D. A. Lavis - 2005 - Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics 36 (2):245-273.
    Direct download (7 more)  
     
    Export citation  
     
    Bookmark   45 citations  
  • Why ergodic theory does not explain the success of equilibrium statistical mechanics.John Earman & Miklós Rédei - 1996 - British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 47 (1):63-78.
    We argue that, contrary to some analyses in the philosophy of science literature, ergodic theory falls short in explaining the success of classical equilibrium statistical mechanics. Our claim is based on the observations that dynamical systems for which statistical mechanics works are most likely not ergodic, and that ergodicity is both too strong and too weak a condition for the required explanation: one needs only ergodic-like behaviour for the finite set of observables that matter, but the behaviour must ensure that (...)
    Direct download (13 more)  
     
    Export citation  
     
    Bookmark   60 citations  
  • Nonequilibrium statistical mechanics Brussels–Austin style.Robert C. Bishop - 2004 - Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics 35 (1):1-30.
    The fundamental problem on which Ilya Prigogine and the Brussels–Austin Group have focused can be stated briefly as follows. Our observations indicate that there is an arrow of time in our experience of the world (e.g., decay of unstable radioactive atoms like uranium, or the mixing of cream in coffee). Most of the fundamental equations of physics are time reversible, however, presenting an apparent conflict between our theoretical descriptions and experimental observations. Many have thought that the observed arrow of time (...)
    Direct download (4 more)  
     
    Export citation  
     
    Bookmark   24 citations  
  • Boltzmann's Approach to Statistical Mechanics.Sheldon Goldstein - unknown
    In the last quarter of the nineteenth century, Ludwig Boltzmann explained how irreversible macroscopic laws, in particular the second law of thermodynamics, originate in the time-reversible laws of microscopic physics. Boltzmann’s analysis, the essence of which I shall review here, is basically correct. The most famous criticisms of Boltzmann’s later work on the subject have little merit. Most twentieth century innovations – such as the identification of the state of a physical system with a probability distribution on its phase space, (...)
    Direct download  
     
    Export citation  
     
    Bookmark   91 citations  
  • Boltzmann’s entropy and time’s arrow.Joel L. Lebowitz - 1993 - Physics Today 46:32--32.
    No categories
     
    Export citation  
     
    Bookmark   55 citations