Abstract
1. Approximations of arbitrarily large but finite systems are often mistaken for infinite idealizations in statistical and thermal physics. The problem is illustrated by thermodynamically reversible processes. They are approximations of processes requiring arbitrarily long, but finite times to complete, not processes requiring an actual infinity of time.
2. The present debate over whether phase transitions comprise a failure of reduction is confounded by a confusion of two senses of “level”: the molecular versus the thermodynamic level and the few component versus the many component level.
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© 2014 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
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Norton, J.D. (2014). Infinite Idealizations. In: Galavotti, M.C., Nemeth, E., Stadler, F. (eds) European Philosophy of Science – Philosophy of Science in Europe and the Viennese Heritage. Vienna Circle Institute Yearbook, vol 17. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01899-7_14
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01899-7_14
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
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