A. Baracca, Scienza e Industria, 1848-1915, Laterza, 1976; Brush, The kind of motion we call heat; lavori specifici
B. Dainton, Time and Space, Acumen, UK, 2010
Learning Objectives
Introduction to the interpretation of the fundamental steps of the historical development of physics, with original writings of the authors, and to the other proposed arguments.
Prerequisites
None
Teaching Methods
6 CFU
Lectures and seminars (hours):48
Further information
Office hours
on demand
Website: --
Type of Assessment
A short paper on an approved topic
Course program
First part
The main steps of the development of modern Physics are examined, starting from the First Industrial Revolution in Britain. The subsequent developments of the technological, industrial, and scientific organization illustrate – referring also to the main scientific papers – the process of progressive formalization and abstraction, which has led from the early empirical method, to the extreme level of Quantum Mechanics
Second part
The current debate on the main philosophical issues concerning the nature of space and time: A) (space and time) the absolute vs relative and substantialism vs relationalism debates on the nature of space and time; space-time theories and the nature of motion; space-time symmetries and the hole argument; B) (time) dynamic/static and tensed/tenseless theories of time; the 3 metaphysics of time; time and change; the arrow of time; time travels.