Economics Dictionary of ArgumentsHome
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| Quantities, physics: Quantities in physics are measurable properties of objects, processes or states. See also Scales, Proportions, Change, Motion, Processes, Flux, Space, Time, Spacetime, Metrisability, Measurements._____________Annotation: The above characterizations of concepts are neither definitions nor exhausting presentations of problems related to them. Instead, they are intended to give a short introduction to the contributions below. – Lexicon of Arguments. | |||
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Pierre Duhem on Quantities (Physics) - Dictionary of Arguments
I 140 Quantities/Duhem: According to Aristotle, a property that can be expressed numerically must be quantitative and not qualitative. How do we recognize that the length of a straight line is a variable? By comparison. Addition is possible. I 144 Quantity: Every quantity value of a quantity can always be formed by addition from smaller values of the same quantity. Each quantity exists because of a commutative and associative operation in the union of quantities which are less than the first, but of the same kind. Def Quantity/Duhem: it is what has parts, some of which are outside the others. Any property that is not a quantity is a quality. >Qualities. Aristotle: Quality is ambiguous. Some cannot be more or less (E.g. circular). I 154 Quantity is not simply defined by an abstract number, but is only defined in conjunction with a unit of measure. >Measurements. Likewise the intensity of a quality, not only by a numerical symbol, but also a specific method, which is suitable to specify the scale of the intensities. Only the knowledge of this scale allows the algebraic propositions to give physical sense. Scale of course quantitatively. In the field of quality, the concept of addition cannot occur, but it is found on the quantitative scale which indicates the intensities of the quality. Cf. >Perception, >Qualia._____________Explanation of symbols: Roman numerals indicate the source, arabic numerals indicate the page number. The corresponding books are indicated on the right hand side. ((s)…): Comment by the sender of the contribution. Translations: Dictionary of Arguments The note [Concept/Author], [Author1]Vs[Author2] or [Author]Vs[term] resp. "problem:"/"solution:", "old:"/"new:" and "thesis:" is an addition from the Dictionary of Arguments. If a German edition is specified, the page numbers refer to this edition. |
Duh I P. Duhem La théorie physique, son objet et sa structure, Paris 1906 German Edition: Ziel und Struktur der physikalischen Theorien Hamburg 1998 |
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> Counter arguments against Duhem
> Counter arguments in relation to Quantities (Physics)
