Time Regained Volume 1: Symmetry and Evolution in Classical Mechanics

by Gryb, Sean; Thébault, Karim

• ISBN13: 9780198822066
• ISBN10: 0198822065
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2024-03-21
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Author Biography

Sean Gryb, Lecturer, University of Groningen,Karim Thébault, Associate Professor in Philosophy of Science, University of Bristol

Sean Gryb is a theoretical physicist and philosopher working on physical and philosophical aspects of spacetime theory, quantum mechanics and cosmology. Much of his work focuses on two important aspects of quantum gravity: the role of time, as expressed by the 'problem of time', and the role of scale, using a theory called 'shape dynamics'. He is currently a Lecturer at University College Groningen. Sean completed a PhD in Physics from the University of Waterloo.


Karim Thébault is a researcher working principally within physics and the philosophy of physics. His main research focus is the 'problem of time' in classical and quantum theories of gravity. Further topics of current interest include dynamical approaches to symmetry, black hole physics, analogue gravity, quantum cosmology, the arrow of time in quantum theory, and the foundations of general relativity. Karim is an Associate Professor in Philosophy of Science at the University of Bristol and gained his PhD in Philosophy at the University of Sydney.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
PART I - NATURAL PHILOSOPHY OF TIME
2. On Newton On Time
3. On Leibniz On Time
4. On Mach On Time
PART II - SYMMETRY AND STRUCTURE
5. Structure and Possibility
6. Conservation and Geometry
7. Irregular Nomic Structure
8. Diagnosing Dynamical Redundancy
9. The New Framework
PART III - THE PROBLEM OF TIME IN CLASSICAL MECHANICS
10. Spatiotemporal Structure and Theory Rearticulation
11. Local Temporal Symmetry
12. Reparametrization Invariant Dynamics
13. Temporal Structure Regained
14. Conclusion and Prospectus