Ordinary objects

2021 ◽  
pp. 191-213
Author(s):  
Jessica M. Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Classical Limit ◽  
Degrees Of Freedom ◽  
Functional Roles ◽  
Ordinary Objects ◽  
Metaphysical Indeterminacy ◽  
States Of Consciousness ◽  
Functional Realization ◽  
Strong Emergence

Wilson considers whether ordinary (inanimate) objects are either Weakly or Strongly emergent. First, she argues that ordinary objects are at least Weakly emergent: first, by lights of a degrees of freedom (DOF)-based account, reflecting that quantum DOF are eliminated from those of ordinary objects in the classical limit; second, by lights of a functional realization account, reflecting a conception of artifacts as associated with sortal properties and distinctive functional roles; third, by lights of a determinable-based account, reflecting that ordinary objects have metaphysically indeterminate boundaries, which are best treated by appeal to a determinable-based account of metaphysical indeterminacy. While the Strong emergence of ordinary objects remains an open empirical possibility, the best such case involves artifacts: artifacts might be Strongly emergent, if the states of consciousness that determine what powers are possessed by artifacts are Strongly emergent, as is explored in Chapter 7.

Metaphysical Emergence

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica M. Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Free Will ◽  
Ordinary Experience ◽  
Functional Roles ◽  
Ordinary Objects ◽  
Base Level ◽  
Making Sense ◽  
Weak Emergence ◽  
Special Sciences ◽  
Strong Emergence ◽  
Key Questions

The special sciences and ordinary experience present us with a world of macro-entities trees, birds, lakes, mountains, humans, houses, and sculptures, to name a few which materially depend on lower-level configurations, but which are also distinct from and distinctively efficacious as compared to these configurations. Such appearances give rise to two key questions. First, what is metaphysical emergence, more precisely? Second, is there actually any metaphysical emergence? In Metaphysical Emergence, Jessica Wilson provides clear, compelling, and systematic answers to these questions. Wilson argues that there are two and only two forms of metaphysical emergence making sense of the target cases: ‘Weak’ emergence, whereby a macro-entity or feature has a proper subset of the powers of its base-level configuration, and ‘Strong’ emergence, whereby a macro-entity or feature has a new power as compared to its base-level configuration. Weak emergence unifies and accommodates diverse accounts of realization (e.g., in terms of functional roles, constitutive mechanisms, and parthood) associated with varieties of nonreductive physicalism, whereas Strong emergence unifies and accommodates anti-physicalist views according to which there may be fundamentally novel features, forces, interactions, or laws at higher levels of compositional complexity. After defending each form of emergence against various objections, Wilson considers whether complex systems, ordinary objects, consciousness, and free will are actually either Weakly or Strongly metaphysically emergent. She argues that Weak emergence is quite common, and that Strong emergence, while in most cases at best an open empirical possibility, is instantiated for the important case of free will.

scholarly journals Classical Chaos Described by a Density Matrix

Physics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 739-746
Author(s):  
Andres Mauricio Kowalski ◽  
Angelo Plastino ◽  
Gaspar Gonzalez
Keyword(s):  
Density Matrix ◽  
Pure State ◽  
Classical Limit ◽  
Degrees Of Freedom ◽  
Temporal Evolution ◽  
Entropy Density ◽  
State Density ◽  
Unexpected Result ◽  
Semiclassical Model ◽  
Classical Chaos

In this paper, a reference to the semiclassical model, in which quantum degrees of freedom interact with classical ones, is considered. The classical limit of a maximum-entropy density matrix that describes the temporal evolution of such a system is analyzed. Here, it is analytically shown that, in the classical limit, it is possible to reproduce classical results. An example is classical chaos. This is done by means a pure-state density matrix, a rather unexpected result. It is shown that this is possible only if the quantum part of the system is in a special class of states.

The Debye theory of solid-state heat capacities

2021 ◽  
pp. 295-309
Author(s):  
Geoffrey Brooker
Keyword(s):  
High Temperature ◽  
Solid State ◽  
Classical Limit ◽  
Degrees Of Freedom ◽  
Linear Chain ◽  
Heat Capacities ◽  
Debye Theory ◽  
State Heat ◽  
Equipartition Of Energy ◽  
Reasonable Step

“The Debye theory of solid-state heat capacities” gives a careful account of the Debye cut-off. We start by looking at a monatomic linear chain, leading to degrees of freedom and the equipartition of energy at the high-temperature (classical) limit. Reasonable approximations lead more naturally to the Born–von Karman model than to Debye, but Debye follows via a further reasonable step.

Complex systems

2021 ◽  
pp. 155-190
Author(s):  
Jessica M. Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Complex Systems ◽  
Conservation Law ◽  
Degrees Of Freedom ◽  
Self Organization ◽  
Game Of Life ◽  
Weak Emergence ◽  
Strong Emergence ◽  
New Criterion

Wilson considers whether complex systems are either Weakly or Strongly emergent. She first traces the demise of nonlinearity as criterial of Strong emergence, and offers a new criterion in terms of apparent violations of a conservation law. By these lights, the Strong emergence of complex systems remains a live but currently unmotivated possibility. Wilson then argues that while appeals to algorithmic incompressibility, dynamic self-organization, and universality do not establish the Weak emergence of complex systems, cases can be made that these or related features satisfy the conditions in the schema. Most promisingly, complex systems exhibiting universality have eliminated degrees of freedom (DOF), and so are Weakly emergent by lights of a DOF-based account; and other complex systems (gliders in the Game of Life; flocks of birds) may also be seen as Weakly emergent by these lights.

Reflexive Consciousness

Dialogue ◽  
1978 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 134-137 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. G. Prado
Keyword(s):  
Ordinary Objects ◽  
States Of Consciousness ◽  
Per Se

A persistent and objectionable claim is that there are states of consciousness attainable wherein there is consciousness of consciousness per se through the absence or diminution of the ordinary objects of consciousness or awareness. The claim is made by phenomenologists, religious thinkers and mystics, and some psychologists.

Semi-classical mechanics in phase space: A study of Wigner’s function

1977 ◽  
Vol 287 (1343) ◽  
pp. 237-271 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Phase Space ◽  
Classical Limit ◽  
Degrees Of Freedom ◽  
Classical Mechanics ◽  
Delta Function ◽  
Full Detail ◽  
Integrable Case ◽  
Classical Motion ◽  
Classical Path ◽  
Path Structure

We explore the semi-classical structure of the Wigner functions Ψ( q,p ) representing bound energy eigenstates | Ψ 〉 for systems with f degrees of freedom. If the classical motion is integrable, the classical limit of Ψ is a delta function on the f -dimensional torus to which classical trajectories corresponding to |Ψ〉 are confined in the 2 f -dimensional phase space. In the semi-classical limit of Ψ ( ℏ small but not zero) the delta function softens to a peak of order Ψ−  f and the torus develops fringes of a characteristic ‘Airy’ form. Away from the torus,Ψ can have semi-classical singularities that are not delta functions; these are discussed (in full detail when f = 1) using Thom's theory of catastrophes. Brief consideration is given to problems raised when is calculated in a representation based on operators derived from angle coordinates and their conjugate momenta. When Ψ the classical motion is non-integrable, the phase space is not filled with tori and existing semi-classical methods fail. We conjecture that (a) For a given value of non-integrability parameter ⋲ ,the system passes through three semi-classical régimes as ℏ diminishes. (b) For states |Ψ〉 associated with regions in phase space filled with irregular trajectories, Ψ will be a random function confined near that region of the ‘energy shell’ explored by these trajectories (this region has more thanks dimensions). (c) For ⋲ ≠ 0, ℏ blurs the infinitely fine classical path structure, in contrast to the integrable case ⋲ = 0, where ℏ imposes oscillatory quantum detail on a smooth classical path structure.

scholarly journals Classical Chaos Described by a Density Matrix

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.M. Kowalski ◽  
Angelo Plastino ◽  
Gaspar Gonzalez Acosta
Keyword(s):  
Density Matrix ◽  
Pure State ◽  
Classical Limit ◽  
Degrees Of Freedom ◽  
State Density ◽  
Semiclassical Model ◽  
Classical Chaos

We work with reference to a well-known semiclassical model, in which quantum degrees of freedom interact with classical ones. We show that, in the classical limit, it is possible to represent classical results (e.g., classical chaos) by means a pure-state density matrix.

scholarly journals CURVATURE-SPIN COUPLING FROM THE SEMI-CLASSICAL LIMIT OF THE DIRAC EQUATION

2008 ◽  
Vol 23 (08) ◽  
pp. 1274-1277 ◽  
Author(s):  
FRANCESCO CIANFRANI ◽  
GIOVANNI MONTANI
Keyword(s):  
Dirac Equation ◽  
Classical Limit ◽  
Degrees Of Freedom ◽  
Eikonal Approximation ◽  
Spin Coupling ◽  
Classical Particle ◽  
Quantum Fields ◽  
Spin Tensor ◽  
Curved Space ◽  
Classical Version

The notion of a classical particle is inferred from Dirac quantum fields on a curved space-time, by an eikonal approximation and a localization hypothesis for amplitudes. This procedure allows to define a semi-classical version of the spin-tensor from internal quantum degrees of freedom, which has a Papapetrou-like coupling with the curvature.

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