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Ideas in physics

שו”תCategory: generalIdeas in physics
asked 2 years ago

Hello,
I am interested in studying philosophy of science / areas of philosophy that relate to science.
To this end, I am interested in studying physical phenomena conceptually without going into the mathematics behind them.
For example, it is possible to understand the concept of gravity without understanding the mathematical equation of the law. It is possible to understand that there is a law that predicts the speed of approach of objects according to their mass, without necessarily knowing the mathematical equation that shows at what speed they will approach.
My questions are –
A. Do you think it is also possible to conceptually understand more complex phenomena in physics (such as the theory of relativity/quantum theory), without understanding the mathematics behind them, or is mathematics also necessary for understanding the idea?
on. If possible, can you recommend books/websites/lectures/courses that teach physics in a more conceptual and less mathematical way? I took the course Central Ideas in Physics on the IL campus, and I’m now looking for additional courses.

Thank you very much and have a good week 🙂


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0 Answers
מיכי Staff answered 2 years ago
I don’t know such literature and I don’t really believe in shortcuts. At least not in physics. Your plan is too general. If you want to get into it seriously and not just as a hobby, study it seriously. Most philosophy of science is not about knowledge about the various sciences. It is about scientific methodology (experimentation, confirmation, generalization, and refutation). There are philosophical implications of certain areas of physics or science, and that is a different discussion.

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guy michaely replied 2 years ago

Thank you very much for the answer.
My question was about the second thing you wrote – the philosophical implications of certain areas of physics or science.
My desire is to delve deeper into the philosophical implications of various scientific discoveries and therefore I wonder if, in your opinion, for this purpose, the shortcut of learning physics conceptually is even possible and whether it will allow me to seriously engage with the philosophical implications of those scientific ideas.
Thanks 🙂

מיכי Staff replied 2 years ago

I don't know what "serious" means. You can think about it better the more you know. But there can only be a real basis for it if you study physics properly.

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