Using Mathematics to Explain a Scientific Theory

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Philosophia Mathematica 24 (2):185-213 (2016)
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Abstract

We answer three questions: 1. Can we give a wholly mathematical explanation of a physical phenomenon? 2. Can we give a wholly mathematical explanation for a whole physical theory? 3. What is gained or lost in giving a wholly, or partially, mathematical explanation of a phenomenon or a scientific theory? To answer these questions we look at a project developed by Hajnal Andréka, Judit Madarász, István Németi and Gergely Székely. They, together with collaborators, present special relativity theory in a three-sorted first-order formal language.

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10.1093/philmat/nkv022

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Daniele Molinini
Michele Friend
George Washington University

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References found in this work

Naturalism in mathematics.Penelope Maddy - 1997 - New York: Oxford University Press.
Mathematics and Scientific Representation.Christopher Pincock - 2012 - Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press USA.
Mathematical Explanation in Science.Alan Baker - 2009 - British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 60 (3):611-633.

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