The idealizational aspect of the laws of classic thermodynamics: what does it consist of?
Abstract
In the second half of the twentieth century Nowak complained that laws and scientific theories have an idealizational aspect that was ignored by most philosophers of science who considered the nomological deductive model of explanation as correct. Therefore, he advanced an alternative model of scientific explanation named “explanation by gradual concretization” by Hanzel, who examined, criticized and improved it at the end of the last century. Both authors reconstructed several scientific theories using their proposed framework disregarding classic thermodynamics almost completely. For this reason, is intended here to deploy such framework in order to reconstruct these laws and to determine precisely of what does consist their idealizational character as well as the implications it has on the realist interpretation of thermodynamics.
Downloads
References
Atkins, P. (2010), The laws of Thermodynamics: a very short introduction, Clarendon: Oxford University Press.
Balzer, W., Zoubek, W. (1994), «Structuralist Aspects of Idealization», en Kuokkanen M. (ed.): Idealization VII: Structuralism, Idealization and Approximation. Poznán Studies in the Philosophy of the Sciencies, vol. 42, Amsterdam-Atlanta: Rodopi, pp. 57-79.
Bromberger, S. (1966), «Why Questions», en Colodney, R.G. (ed.): Mind and Cosmos, Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, pp. 86-111.
Buchdahl, H. (1966), The concepts of classical thermodynamics, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Callen, H. (1985), Thermodynamics and an introduction to Thermostatics, 2da. Ed., Singapur: Wiley.
De Donato, X. (2011), «Idealization within a Structuralist Perspective», Metatheoria, (139), 65-90.
De Donato, X., Arroyo, A. (2012), «The Structure of Idealization in Biological Theories: The Case of the Wright-Fischer Model», Journal for General Philosophy of Science, (43), 11-27.
Hanzel, I. (1999), «The concept of scientific law in the epistemology of science and epistemology», en Renn J., Gavrolu K., Cohen R. (eds.): Boston Studies in Philosophy of Science, vol. 208, Boston: Springer, pp: 33-84.
Hanzel, I. (2007), «Leszek Nowak on Scientific Laws and Scientific Explanation», en Brzezinski J. (ed.): The Courage of Doing Philosophy. Essays Presented to Leszek Nowak, Amsterdam-New York: Rodopi, pp. 167-178.
Hanzel, I. (2008a), «Idealizations and Concretizations in Laws and Explanation in Physics», Journal for General Philosophy of Science, (39), 273-301.
Hanzel, I. (2008b), «Scientific laws and scientific explanations: a differentiated typology», Organon F, (3), 323-344.
Hempel, C.G., Oppenheim, P. (1948), «Studies in the Logic of Explanation», Philosophy of Sciencie, 15(2), 135-175.
Hempel, C.G. (1958), «The Theoretician’s Dilemma », en Feigl H., Scriven M., Maxwell G., (eds.): Concepts, Theories, and the Mind-Body Problem, Minnesota Studies in the Philosophy of Science, vol. 2, Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, pp. 98-169.
Kestin, J. (1971), A course in Statistical Thermodynamics, Nueva York: Academic Press.
Kyburg, H. (1965), «Discussion: Salmon’s Paper», Philosophy of Science, 32(139), 147-151.
Kondepudi, D. (2008), Introduction to Modern Thermodynamics, Nueva York: Wiley.
Kuokkanen, M., Toumivaara, T. (1992), «On the Structure of Idealizations. Explorations in the Poznan School Methodology of Science», en Brezinski J. & Nowak L. (eds.): Idealization III: Approximation and Truth, Poznan Studies in the Philosophy of Sciences and Humanities, vol. 25, Amsterdam, Atlanta, GA: Rodopi, pp. 67-102.
McMullin, E. (1985), «Galilean Idealization», Studies in History and Philosophy of Science, (16), 247-273.
Moulines, U. (2007), «Model construction, idealization and scientifica ontologia», en J. Brezinski et al. (eds.): The Courage of Doing Philosophy: Essays Dedicated to Leszek Nowak, Amsterdam-New York: Rodopi, pp. 257-271.
Nagel, E. (1961), The structure of science: problems in the logic of scientific explanation. Londres: Routledge and Keagan Paul.
Nowak, L. (1972), «Laws of science, theory and measurement», Philosophy of Science, (39), 192-201.
Nowak, L. (1980), «The structure of idealization», en Hintikka, J. (ed.): Synthese Lybrary, vol. 108, Dordrecht: Reidel.
Nowak, L., Nowakowa, I. (2000), «Darwin’s Theory of Natural Selection», en Nowak, L., Nowakowa, I. (eds.): Idealization X: the richness of idealization, Amsterdam: Rodopi, pp. 63-94.
Psillos, S. (1999), How science tracks truth, Londres: Routledge.
Rohwer, S., y Rice, C. (2013), «Hypothetical Pattern Idealization and Explanatory Models», Philosophy of Science, (80), 334-355.
Salmon, W. (1967), Foundations of Scientific Inference. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press.
Salmon, W. (1971), «Introduction», en Salmon, W. (ed.): Statical Explanation and Statistical Relevance, Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press.
Scriven, M. (1959), «Truisms as the Grounds for Historical Explanations», en Gardnier, P. (ed.): Theories of History, Nueva York: The Free Press, pp. 443-475.
Weisberg, M. (2007), «Three Kinds of Idealization», Journal of Philosophy, 104(39), 639-659.
Copyright (c) 2023 Daimon Revista Internacional de Filosofia
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 Unported License.
Las obras que se publican en esta revista están sujetas a los siguientes términos:
1. El Servicio de Publicaciones de la Universidad de Murcia (la editorial) conserva los derechos patrimoniales (copyright) de las obras publicadas, y favorece y permite la reutilización de las mismas bajo la licencia de uso indicada en el punto 2.
2. Las obras se publican en la edición electrónica de la revista bajo una licencia Creative Commons Reconocimiento-NoComercial-SinObraDerivada 3.0 España (texto legal). Se pueden copiar, usar, difundir, transmitir y exponer públicamente, siempre que: i) se cite la autoría y la fuente original de su publicación (revista, editorial y URL de la obra); ii) no se usen para fines comerciales; iii) se mencione la existencia y especificaciones de esta licencia de uso.
3. Condiciones de auto-archivo. Se permite y se anima a los autores a difundir electrónicamente las versiones pre-print (versión antes de ser evaluada) y/o post-print (versión evaluada y aceptada para su publicación) de sus obras antes de su publicación, ya que favorece su circulación y difusión más temprana y con ello un posible aumento en su citación y alcance entre la comunidad académica. Color RoMEO: verde.