Description
Russell's major engagement with the philosophical foundations of physics
Vital book for understanding Russell's quest to put philosophy on a sound mathematical and logical footing
Includes the 1992 Introduction by John G. Slater which places the book in helpful historical and philosophical context
Table of Contents
Introduction to the Routledge Classics edition John G. Slater Preface 1. The Nature of the Problem Part 1: The Logical Analysis of Physics 2. Pre-Relativity Physics 3. Electrons and Protons 4. The Theory of Quanta 5. The Special Theory of Relativity 6. The General Theory of Relativity 7. The Method of Tensors 8. Geodesics 9. Invariants and Their Physical Interpretation 10. Weyl’s Theory 11. The Principle of Differential Laws 12. Measurement 13. Matter and Space 14. The Abstractness of Physics Part 2: Physics and Perception 15. From Primitive Perception to Common Sense 16. From Common Sense to Physics 17. What is an Empirical Science 18. Our Knowledge of Particular Matters of Fact 19. Data, Inferences, Hypotheses, and Theories 20. The Causal Theory of Perception 21. Perception and Objectivity 22. The Belief in General Laws 23. Substance 24. Importance of Structure in Scientific Inference 25. Perception From the Standpoint of Physics 26. Non-Mental Analogues to Perception Part 3: The Structure of the Physical World 27. Particulars and Events 28. The Construction of Points 29. Space-Time Order 30. Causal Lines 31. Extrinsic Causal Laws 32. Physical and Perceptual Space-Time 33. Periodicity and Qualitative Series 34. Types of Physical Occurrences 35. Causality and Interval 36. The Genesis of Space-Time 37. Physics and Neutral Monism 38. Summary and Conclusion. Index
