Customer Reviews

Physics and Chance: Philosophical Issues in the Foundations of Statistical Mechanics

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(NB. This book really deserves 4.5 stars.)

Much of my work concerns applying statistical physics in novel contexts. With that in mind, a few years ago I undertook to take a look at foundational issues. Although this book contains few equations, it is sophisticated and clear, and also a page-turner. My copy is jammed with Post-Its serving as placemarkers.

That said, a few more equations and better references/attribution would have been nice. For instance, Sklar mentions a "pantamicrocanonical" ensemble at one point, but he neither elaborates nor gives a usable reference. I have been unable to track down the origin or precise meaning of this term, to my annoyance.

There are biases in coverage as well: most philosophers of statistical physics are (perhaps rightly) preoccupied with the arrow of time. Personally, however, I found the distinction between ergodicity and mixing far more relevant, insightful, and useful. The coverage of information theory and MAXENT is weak. Many people familiar with MAXENT often come to notice some of its limitations, and a more thorough philosophical treatment (incorporating views from e.g., Jaynes to Grad) of the subject would have been welcome.

But all in all, this is an excellent book, and a worthy read. I recommend it especially highly to the student of statistical physics: buy Sklar, and check out Krylov from the library.