Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part A 30 (3):479-492 (1999)
Abstract |
Physicists often appeal to the beauty of a theory as a way to judge its credibility, and the most prevalent component of this beauty is symmetry. This paper describes the role and structure of symmetry arguments in physics. It demonstrates that the epistemic authority of an appeal to symmetry is based on empirical evidence and is independent of any aesthetic judgment. Furthermore, symmetry in nature is not evidence of design. Just the opposite, symmetry indicates a lack of planning. It is about nature's disregard for details.
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DOI | 10.1016/s0039-3681(99)00012-6 |
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References found in this work BETA
Fearful Symmetry: The Search for Beauty in Modern Physics.A. Zee - 1986 - Princeton University Press.
Fundamental Manifestations of Symmetry in Physics.Joe Rosen - 1990 - Foundations of Physics 20 (3):283-307.
Aesthetic Constraints on Theory Selection: A Critique of Laudan.James E. Martin - 1989 - British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 40 (3):357-364.
View all 6 references / Add more references
Citations of this work BETA
COI Stories: Explanation and Evidence in the History of Science.Michel Janssen - 2002 - Perspectives on Science 10 (4):457-522.
Gauge Principles, Gauge Arguments and the Logic of Nature.Christopher A. Martin - 2002 - Proceedings of the Philosophy of Science Association 2002 (3):S221-S234.
Gauge Principles, Gauge Arguments and the Logic of Nature.Christopher A. Martin - 2002 - Philosophy of Science 69 (S3):S221-S234.
Gauge Gravity and the Unification of Natural Forces.Chuang Liu - 2001 - International Studies in the Philosophy of Science 17 (2):143 – 159.
Are the laws of nature metaphysically necessary? / São as leis da natureza metafisicamente necessárias?Rodrigo Cid - 2016 - Dissertation, Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro
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