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Preludes to ontic structural realism : Eddington and Weyl : a theoretic route from general relativity to quantum mechanics through group theory.

Miriam Cometto

Published Apr 24, 2009• 0 citations
OpenAlex

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Scenes from the Lost History of Structuralism

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Both advocates and critics of structural realism have conducted their debate under the shadows of Poincaré and Russell. However, if antecedents of a structural realism informed by quantum mechanics are to be looked for, then the historical focus should be shifted forward a few years, to the commentaries and reflective ontological work of Cassirer and Eddington. Here forms of structural realism can be found that are informed by the powerful mathematical framework of group theory that had been developed and applied to the new quantum mechanics by Weyl and Wigner. As Cassirer and Eddington both realized, one of the crucial features of modern physics is the increased significance of the role of symmetry and it is to this that group theory gives mathematical expression. OSR is informed by the role of symmetry and invariance in just the manner that Cassirer and Eddington advocated and the rest of the book is taken up in trying to articulate an appropriate metaphysics for such an informed perspective.

Oxford University Press eBooks•Jan 30, 2014•0 citations

The Structural Metaphysics of Quantum Theory and General Relativity

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Symmetry, Structure and the Constitution of Objects

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In this paper I focus on the impact on structuralism of the quantum treatment of objects in terms of symmetry groups and, in particular, on the question as to how we might eliminate, or better, reconceptualise such objects in structural terms. With regard to the former, both Cassirer and Eddington not only explicitly and famously tied their structuralism to the development of group theory but also drew on the quantum treatment in order to further their structuralist aims and here I sketch the relevant history with an eye on what lessons might be drawn. With regard to the latter, Ladyman has explicitly cited Castellani's work on the group-theoretical constitution of quantum objects and I indicate both how such an approach needs to be understood if it is to mesh with Ladyman's 'ontic' form of structural realism and how it might accommodate permutation symmetry through a consideration of Huggett's recent account.

•Jan 1, 2001•15 citations
Both advocates and critics of structural realism have conducted their debate under the shadows of Poincaré and Russell. However, if antecedents of a structural realism informed by quantum mechanics are to be looked for, then the historical focus should be shifted forward a few years, to the commentaries and reflective ontological work of Cassirer and Eddington. Here forms of structural realism can be found that are informed by the powerful mathematical framework of group theory that had been developed and applied to the new quantum mechanics by Weyl and Wigner. As Cassirer and Eddington both realized, one of the crucial features of modern physics is the increased significance of the role of symmetry and it is to this that group theory gives mathematical expression. OSR is informed by the role of symmetry and invariance in just the manner that Cassirer and Eddington advocated and the rest of the book is taken up in trying to articulate an appropriate metaphysics for such an informed perspective.
In this paper I focus on the impact on structuralism of the quantum treatment of objects in terms of symmetry groups and, in particular, on the question as to how we might eliminate, or better, reconceptualise such objects in structural terms. With regard to the former, both Cassirer and Eddington not only explicitly and famously tied their structuralism to the development of group theory but also drew on the quantum treatment in order to further their structuralist aims and here I sketch the relevant history with an eye on what lessons might be drawn. With regard to the latter, Ladyman has explicitly cited Castellani's work on the group-theoretical constitution of quantum objects and I indicate both how such an approach needs to be understood if it is to mesh with Ladyman's 'ontic' form of structural realism and how it might accommodate permutation symmetry through a consideration of Huggett's recent account.