Space, time, and mechanics. Basic structures of a physical theory. (Papers from a Colloquium held in Munich from 18th to 20th May 1979, conducted by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft) (Q796504)

Preface: In connection with the ''Philosophy of Science'' research program conducted by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft a colloquium was held in Munich from 18th to 20th May 1979. This covered basic structures of physical theories, the main emphasis being on the interrelation of space, time and mechanics. The present volume contains contributions and the results of the discussions. The papers are given here in the same order of presentation as at the meeting. The development of these ''basic structures of physical theories'' involved diverging trends arising from different starting points in philosophy and physics. In order to obtain a clear comparison between these schools of thought, it was appropriate to concentrate discussion on geometry and chronology as the common foundation of classical and quantum mechanics. As a rather simple and well prepared field of study, geochronometry seemed suited to analysing these mutually exclusive positions. - Contents: Günther Ludwig: Is the Geometry of Physical Space a Form of Pure Sensible Intuition? A Technical Reconstruction? Or a Structure of Reality? Jürgen Ehlers: Relations between the Galilei-Invariant and the Lorentzinvariant Theories of Collisions; C. F. von Weizsäcker: Geometrie and Physik; Heinz-Jürgen Schmidt: Kinematics as a Theory of Coincidences; Dieter Mayr: A Constructive-Axiomatic Approach to Physical Space and Spacetime Geometries of Constant Curvature by the Principle of Reproducibility; Erhard Scheibe: Invariance and Covariance; W. Balzer: The Origin and Role of Invariance in Classical Kinematics; Andreas Kamlah: The Significance of Physical Invariance Principles for the Measurement of Space-Time Quantities; Wolfgang Deppert: Outline of a Theory of System-Times; Peter Janich: Newton ab omni naevo vindicatus.