Direction of Time

By: HANS REICHENBACH

Write A Review

Paperback | 28 March 2003

At a Glance

Paperback
292 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
20.9 x 13.6 x 1.6

Paperback

RRP $39.99

$39.75

or 4 interest-free payments of $9.94 with

Ships in 10 to 15 business days

Ever a source of philosophical conjecture and debate, the concept of time represents the beating heart of physics. This final work by the distinguished physicist Hans Reichenbach represents the culmination and integration of a lifetime's philosophical contributions and inquiries into the analysis of time. The result is an outstanding overview of such qualitative, or topological, attributes of time as order and direction.
Beginning with a discussion of the emotive significance of time, Reichenbach turns to an examination of the time order of mechanics, the time direction of thermodynamics and microstatistics, the time direction of macrostatistics, and the time of quantum physics. He offers coherent explanations of the analytic methods of scientific philosophy in the investigation of probability, quantum mechanics, the theory of relativity, and causality -- methods that he not only applies here but also helped to develop and refine.
Physics Today observed that "For a generation Professor Reichenbach has worked as almost no other man to bring to the interpretation of modern physics the critical and reflective thinking of a trained philosopher. Most physicists who retain an interest in philosophy, and many who wanted simply to understand physics, have read some of the earlier books of Reichenbach. This one is . . . the best by a good deal." Introduction. Appendix. Index.

Shipping

	Standard Shipping	Express Shipping
Metro postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Regional postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Rural postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95

Orders over $79.00 qualify for free shipping.

How to return your order

At Booktopia, we offer hassle-free returns in accordance with our returns policy. If you wish to return an item, please get in touch with Booktopia Customer Care.

Additional postage charges may be applicable.

Defective items

If there is a problem with any of the items received for your order then the Booktopia Customer Care team is ready to assist you.

For more info please visit our Help Centre.

You Can Find This Book In

Non-Fiction Science Science in General Impact of Science & Technology on Society Astronomy, Space & Time Time & Chronology Physics Relativity Physics

Introduction
The Emotive Significance of Time	p. 1
The Time Order of Mechanics
The Qualitative Properties of Time	p. 19
The Causal Theory of Time	p. 24
Causality in Classical Physics	p. 27
The Causal Definition of Time Order	p. 32
Intervention	p. 43
The Time Direction of Thermodynamics and Microstatistics
Report on the Second Law of Thermodynamics	p. 49
The Statistical Definition of Entropy	p. 56
Extension of Statistics to Different Energy Levels	p. 65
A Deterministic Interpretation of Thermodynamical Statistics	p. 72
Determinism Versus Indeterminism in Classical Physics	p. 82
The Probability Lattice	p. 96
The Reversibility Objection	p. 108
The Time Direction of the Space Ensemble	p. 117
The Sectional Nature of Time Direction	p. 125
The Hypothesis of the Branch Structure	p. 135
The Time Direction of Macrostatistics
Macroarrangements and Macroentropy	p. 145
Cause and Effect: Producing and Recording	p. 149
The Principle of the Common Cause	p. 157
Entropy and Information	p. 167
The Time Direction of Information and the Theory of Registering Instruments	p. 178
A Completely Macrostatistical Definition of Time Direction	p. 186
The Mark Principle and Causal Relevance	p. 197
The Time of Quantum Physics
The Statistical Reversibility of the Elementary Processes of Quantum Mechanics	p. 207
The Indeterminism of Quantum Mechanics	p. 211
The Genidentity of Quantum Particles	p. 224
The Entropy Concept of Quantum Statistics	p. 236
Extension of Quantum Statistics to Different Energy Levels	p. 249
Particles Vanishing into Nonexistence	p. 259
Particles Traveling Backward in Time	p. 262
Appendix	p. 269
Index	p. 271
Table of Contents provided by Syndetics. All Rights Reserved.

Direction of Time

At a Glance

Paperback

Shipping

How to return your order

Defective items

You Can Find This Book In

More in Science in General

Liars, cheats and copycats

Trickery and deception in nature

Alchemy

An Illustrated History of Elixirs, Experiments, and the Birth of Modern Science

Seven Brief Lessons on Physics

Anniversary Edition

The Best Australian Science Writing 2025

The Best Australian Science

God, the Science, the Evidence

A Short History of Nearly Everything 2.0

The Body A-Z

A fun, fascinating and family-friendly manual for the most important thing you own

The Holographic Universe

Big Ideas From Science

How scientific discoveries shape our lives

The Brain That Changes Itself

Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science

Knowledge Encyclopedia Science!

Science as You've Never Seen it Before

What If?

Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions

How To Change Your Mind

New Science of Psychedelics

How To

Sapiens A Graphic History, Volume 2

The Pillars of Civilization

The Happiness Hypothesis

Putting Ancient Wisdom to the Test of Modern Science

100 Australian Birds

Invisible Women

Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men

Dopamine Nation

Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence

Stolen Focus

Why You Can't Pay Attention

A Field Guide to Reptiles of Queensland

Third edition

Four Thousand Weeks

Embrace your limits. Change your life. Make your four thousand weeks count.

The Universe

The Book Of The BBC TV Series Presented By Professor Brian Cox

When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows...

Common Knowledge and the Science of Harmony, Hypocrisy and Outrage

This product is categorised by