Atoms, Mechanics, and Probability: Ludwig Boltzmann's Statistico-Mechanical Writings - An Exegesis

Olivier Darrigol

640 pages, parution le 07/03/2018

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Résumé

A study of Ludwig Boltzmann's oeuvre in early statistical mechanics. It is designed to reveal Boltzmann's true endeavors and to give new life to his various theoretical constructions. It offers introductory historical and biographical materials, detailed summaries and analyses of all the relevant texts.One of the pillars of modern science, statistical mechanics, owes much to one man, the Austrian physicist Ludwig Boltzmann (1844-1906). As a result of his unusual working and writing styles, his enormous contribution remains little read and poorly understood. The purpose of this book is to make the Boltzmann corpus more accessible to physicists, philosophers, and historians, and so give it new life. The means are introductory biographical and historical materials, detailed and lucid summaries of every relevant publication, and a final chapter of critical synthesis. Special attention is given to Boltzmann's theoretical tool-box and to his patient construction of lofty formal systems even before their full conceptual import could be known. This constructive tendency largely accounts for his lengthy style, for the abundance of new constructions, for the relative vagueness of their object-and for the puzzlement of commentators. This book will help the reader cross the stylistic barrier and see how ingeniously Boltzmann combined atoms, mechanics, and probability to invent new bridges between the micro- and macro-worlds.Olivier Darrigol studied physics at the Ecole Normale Superieure in Paris, the history and philosophy of physics at the Sorbonne and at UC-Berkeley's Office for History of Science and Technology (OHST). He is the author of several books on the history of quantum physics, electrodynamics, hydrodynamics, and optics. He is currently a member of the SPHere research team at CNRS/Paris 7, and a Research Associate at UC-Berkeley's OHST.

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	PAPIER
Éditeur(s)	Oxford
Auteur(s)	Olivier Darrigol
Parution	07/03/2018
Nb. de pages	640
EAN13	9780198816171

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Atoms, Mechanics, and Probability: Ludwig Boltzmann's Statistico-Mechanical Writings - An Exegesis

Résumé

Caractéristiques techniques

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