The logic of thermostatistical physics (Q3149248)

The book addresses several of the foundational problems in thermodynamics and statistical mechanics. It deals with the philosophical underpinning of models, model-building and theories in classical and quantum thermophysics. The book relies on logic and on the philosophy of science as well as on modern mathematics. Also the history of some scientific ideas in these fields is considered. The philosophical analysis is based on the separation of syntax and semantics. Entropy and randomness are discussed by use of recursive functions and algorithmic complexity. The preface tells, how to read the book for scientists of different disciplines. Basic concepts and physical models are reviewed in the fields of phase transitions, scaling, renormalization semigroups and the irreversible approach to equilibrium. In more detail the chapters are the following: 1: Theories and models: a philosophical overview. 2: Thermostatics. 3: Kinetic theory of gases. 4: Classical propability 5: Modern probability: syntax and models. 6: Modern probability: competing semantics. 7: Setting-up the ergodic problem. 8: Models and ergodic hierarchy. 9: Ergodicity vs. integrability. 10: The Gibbs canonical ensembles. 11: Phase transitions: van der Waals to Lenz. 12: Ising and related models. 13: Scaling and renormalization. 14: Quantum models for phase transitions. 15: Approach to equilibrium in quantum mechanics. 16: The philosophical horizon. The appendices are: Models in mathematical logic, The calculus of differentials, Recursive functions, Topological essences, Models vs. models. A remarkable long list of references, a citation index and a subject index are closing the book. Concerning thermophysics the book is starting out with statistical physics, as announced in its title. The phenomenological nonequilibrium theories as Irreversible, Rational or Extended Thermodynamics and also theories of reduced description of thermodynamical systems are not considered. Nevertheless, the clearly written book contains interesting historical remarks and shows the philosophy behind thermo-statistics. The extraordinarily detailed list of references and its far-reaching range makes the book valuable for mathematicians, physicists and philosophers of science in research and teaching. Its representation may stimulate further philosophical investigations.