Explaining universality: infinite limit systems in the renormalization group method

被引:5
|
作者
Wu, Jingyi [1 ]
机构
[1] Univ Calif Irvine, Dept Log & Philosophy Sci, Irvine, CA 92697 USA
关键词
Renormalization group method; Scientific explanation; Infinite idealizations; Linearization*; Critical phase transitions; IDEALIZATIONS;
D O I
10.1007/s11229-021-03448-2
中图分类号
N09 [自然科学史]; B [哲学、宗教];
学科分类号
01 ; 0101 ; 010108 ; 060207 ; 060305 ; 0712 ;
摘要
I analyze the role of infinite idealizations used in the renormalization group (RG hereafter) method in explaining universality across microscopically different physical systems in critical phenomena. I argue that despite the reference to infinite limit systems such as systems with infinite correlation lengths during the RG process, the key to explaining universality in critical phenomena need not involve infinite limit systems. I develop my argument by introducing what I regard as the explanatorily relevant property in RG explanations: linearization* property; I then motivate and prove a proposition about the linearization* property in support of my view. As a result, infinite limit systems in RG explanations are dispensable.
引用
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页码:14897 / 14930
页数:34
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