The Physics of Ignorance
close menu
Bookswagon
search
My Account
Book 1
Book 2
Book 3
Book 1
Book 2
Book 3
Book 1
Book 2
Book 3
Book 1
Book 2
Book 3
Home > Religion, Philosophy & Sprituality Books > Philosophy > Topics in philosophy > Metaphysics and ontology > The Physics of Ignorance: Representation, Realism, and the Renormalization Group
The Physics of Ignorance: Representation, Realism, and the Renormalization Group

The Physics of Ignorance: Representation, Realism, and the Renormalization Group


     0     
5
4
3
2
1



Out of Stock


Notify me when this book is in stock
X
About the Book

Our very best physical theories are both profoundly successful and deeply mysterious. They are not mathematically well-behaved, yet they underwrite predictions of surprising phenomena that are accurate to one part in a trillion. Notwithstanding their empirical triumphs, these theories are widely held to be 'merely effective': rather than the fundamental truth about physical reality, they yield excellent approximations to its implications in the limited domains we can access using present technologies. These enigmatic theories seem to be telling us something about the universe--but what? What, in spite of our ignorance of the exact contours of a final theory of physics, does the success of our best (present, imperfect) theories of physics license us to believe about the physical universe? The Physics of Ignorance is an extended investigation of this question. Laura Ruetsche focuses on theories of critical phenomena and the interacting quantum field theories making up the Standard Model of modern particle physics, as well as on a family of techniques (known as renormalization group approaches) for deriving secure lessons from hierarchies of incomplete theories. Ruetsche's exposition aims to make salient aspects of the physics and mathematics it covers accessible to a philosophical audience. Assessing the roles and signatures of ignorance in the past, present, and probable future of physics, the book argues for a new position in the scientific realism debate: Hermeneutic Empiricism, which advocates efforts to interpret theories literally but counsels against believing those theories wholesale, and also against trusting their efficacy to persist.

About the Author :
As a Carleton College undergraduate, Laura Ruetsche studied physics, philosophy, and classical Greek. As a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford, she wrote an BPhil thesis on Plato's Timeaus. She completed a PhD at the University of Pittsburgh, whose faculty she joined in 1996. In 2008, she moved to the University of Michigan, where she is Louis E. Loeb Collegiate Professor of Philosophy. Her honours include a Lakatos Award for her 2011 Interpreting Quantum Theories (OUP) and election to American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2022. Her interests include feminist and critical approaches to science and its epistemology.


Best Sellers


Product Details
  • ISBN-13: 9780192894007
  • Publisher: Oxford University Press
  • Publisher Imprint: Oxford University Press
  • Height: 234 mm
  • No of Pages: 416
  • Sub Title: Representation, Realism, and the Renormalization Group
  • ISBN-10: 0192894005
  • Publisher Date: 15 Sep 2026
  • Binding: Hardback
  • Language: English
  • Returnable: Y
  • Width: 156 mm


Similar Products

Add Photo
Add Photo

Customer Reviews

REVIEWS      0     
Click Here To Be The First to Review this Product
The Physics of Ignorance: Representation, Realism, and the Renormalization Group
Oxford University Press -
The Physics of Ignorance: Representation, Realism, and the Renormalization Group
Writing guidlines
We want to publish your review, so please:
  • keep your review on the product. Review's that defame author's character will be rejected.
  • Keep your review focused on the product.
  • Avoid writing about customer service. contact us instead if you have issue requiring immediate attention.
  • Refrain from mentioning competitors or the specific price you paid for the product.
  • Do not include any personally identifiable information, such as full names.

The Physics of Ignorance: Representation, Realism, and the Renormalization Group

Required fields are marked with *

Review Title*
Review
    Add Photo Add up to 6 photos
    Would you recommend this product to a friend?
    Tag this Book Read more
    Does your review contain spoilers?
    What type of reader best describes you?
    I agree to the terms & conditions
    You may receive emails regarding this submission. Any emails will include the ability to opt-out of future communications.

    CUSTOMER RATINGS AND REVIEWS AND QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS TERMS OF USE

    These Terms of Use govern your conduct associated with the Customer Ratings and Reviews and/or Questions and Answers service offered by Bookswagon (the "CRR Service").


    By submitting any content to Bookswagon, you guarantee that:
    • You are the sole author and owner of the intellectual property rights in the content;
    • All "moral rights" that you may have in such content have been voluntarily waived by you;
    • All content that you post is accurate;
    • You are at least 13 years old;
    • Use of the content you supply does not violate these Terms of Use and will not cause injury to any person or entity.
    You further agree that you may not submit any content:
    • That is known by you to be false, inaccurate or misleading;
    • That infringes any third party's copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret or other proprietary rights or rights of publicity or privacy;
    • That violates any law, statute, ordinance or regulation (including, but not limited to, those governing, consumer protection, unfair competition, anti-discrimination or false advertising);
    • That is, or may reasonably be considered to be, defamatory, libelous, hateful, racially or religiously biased or offensive, unlawfully threatening or unlawfully harassing to any individual, partnership or corporation;
    • For which you were compensated or granted any consideration by any unapproved third party;
    • That includes any information that references other websites, addresses, email addresses, contact information or phone numbers;
    • That contains any computer viruses, worms or other potentially damaging computer programs or files.
    You agree to indemnify and hold Bookswagon (and its officers, directors, agents, subsidiaries, joint ventures, employees and third-party service providers, including but not limited to Bazaarvoice, Inc.), harmless from all claims, demands, and damages (actual and consequential) of every kind and nature, known and unknown including reasonable attorneys' fees, arising out of a breach of your representations and warranties set forth above, or your violation of any law or the rights of a third party.


    For any content that you submit, you grant Bookswagon a perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free, transferable right and license to use, copy, modify, delete in its entirety, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from and/or sell, transfer, and/or distribute such content and/or incorporate such content into any form, medium or technology throughout the world without compensation to you. Additionally,  Bookswagon may transfer or share any personal information that you submit with its third-party service providers, including but not limited to Bazaarvoice, Inc. in accordance with  Privacy Policy


    All content that you submit may be used at Bookswagon's sole discretion. Bookswagon reserves the right to change, condense, withhold publication, remove or delete any content on Bookswagon's website that Bookswagon deems, in its sole discretion, to violate the content guidelines or any other provision of these Terms of Use.  Bookswagon does not guarantee that you will have any recourse through Bookswagon to edit or delete any content you have submitted. Ratings and written comments are generally posted within two to four business days. However, Bookswagon reserves the right to remove or to refuse to post any submission to the extent authorized by law. You acknowledge that you, not Bookswagon, are responsible for the contents of your submission. None of the content that you submit shall be subject to any obligation of confidence on the part of Bookswagon, its agents, subsidiaries, affiliates, partners or third party service providers (including but not limited to Bazaarvoice, Inc.)and their respective directors, officers and employees.

    Accept


    Inspired by your browsing history


    Your review has been submitted!

    You've already reviewed this product!
    Your IP: 216.73.216.139 IN