Reflections on Parity Nonconservation
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 10705448 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Nick Huggett (0000-0002-5699-5479, University of Illinois Chicago, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2000 |
| Volume | 67 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 219-241 |
| Publication date | 2000-06-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Philosophy of Science (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0031-8248 • E-ISSN: 1539-767X |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1086/392773 |
| OpenAlex | W1976926841 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 8 |
| References cited | 16 |
This paper considers the implications for the relational-substantival debate of observations of parity nonconservation in weak interactions, a much neglected topic. It is argued that ‘geometric proofs’ of absolute space, first proposed by Kant (1768), fail, but that parity violating laws allow ‘mechanical proofs’, like Newton's laws. Parity violating laws are explained and arguments analogous to those of Newton's Scholium are constructed to show that they require absolute spacetime structure—namely, an orientation—as Newtonian mechanics requires affine structure. Finally, it is considered how standard relationist responses to Newton's argument might respond to the new challenge of parity nonconservation
Absolute time and space · Affine transformation · Classical mechanics · General relativity · Geometry · Mathematical proof · Parity (physics) · Physics · Quantum mechanics · Spacetime · Theoretical physics · Mathematics · Philosophy and History of Science · Quantum Mechanics and Applications · Relativity and Gravitational Theory
Three Remarks on the Interpretation of Kant on Incongruent Counterparts
Mirroring as an A Priori Symmetry
Knox’s inertial spacetime functionalism (and a better alternative)
Sophistry about symmetries
Broken Symmetry and Spacetime
There Is No Conspiracy of Inertia
The metaphysics of emergent spacetime theories
Incongruent Counterparts and the Reality of Space
| Unique citing works | 8 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,38 |
| Citation span | 2005 - 2021 (17) |
| Citation velocity | historical |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 8 |