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Single Idea 7551
[filed under theme 27. Natural Reality / B. Modern Physics / 4. Standard Model / a. Concept of matter
]
Full Idea
We must regard matter as a logical construction.
Gist of Idea
Matter is a logical construction
Source
Bertrand Russell (The Ultimate Constituents of Matter [1915], p.132)
Book Ref
Russell,Bertrand: 'Mysticism and Logic' [Unwin 1989], p.132
A Reaction
A logical construction is a fancy way of saying a best explanation (but with Ockham's Razor hanging over it). A key component missing from Russell's account is that we can directly experience matter, because we are made of it.
The
20 ideas
with the same theme
[concept of matter emerging in modern physics]:
15311
|
Attraction or repulsion are not imparted to matter, but actually constitute it
[Priestley]
|
17402
|
Mendeleev saw three principles in nature: matter, force and spirit (where the latter seems to be essence)
[Mendeleev, by Scerri]
|
21706
|
At first matter is basic and known by sense-data; later Russell says matter is constructed
[Russell, by Linsky,B]
|
6470
|
Matter is the limit of appearances as distance from the object diminishes
[Russell]
|
7547
|
Matter requires a division into time-corpuscles as well as space-corpuscles
[Russell]
|
7551
|
Matter is a logical construction
[Russell]
|
17532
|
An atom's stability after collisions needs explaining (which Newton's mechanics can't do)
[Heisenberg]
|
17537
|
Position is complementary to velocity or momentum, so the whole system is indeterminate
[Heisenberg]
|
17551
|
It was formerly assumed that electromagnetic waves could not be a reality in themselves
[Heisenberg]
|
20626
|
Modern theories of matter are grounded in heat, work and energy
[Close]
|
6551
|
'Physical' means either figuring in physics descriptions, or just located in space-time
[Lycan]
|
9574
|
'Gunk' is an individual possessing no parts that are atoms
[Chihara]
|
20654
|
Only four particles are needed for matter: up and down quark, electron, electron-neutrino
[Watson]
|
14900
|
In physics, matter is an emergent phenomenon, not part of fundamental ontology
[Ladyman/Ross]
|
14937
|
That the universe must be 'made of' something is just obsolete physics
[Ladyman/Ross]
|
17411
|
If all elements are multiples of one (of hydrogen), that suggests once again that matter is unified
[Scerri]
|
17420
|
The stability of nuclei can be estimated through their binding energy
[Scerri]
|
24161
|
Thermodynamics sees nature as a continuous flow of energy, as radiation and as substance
[Baggott]
|
20465
|
Nature has three aspects: granularity, indeterminacy, and relations
[Rovelli]
|
22630
|
If particles have decay rates, they can't really be elementary, in the sense of indivisible
[Ingthorsson]
|