Books

• (with G. Emch) The Logic of Thermo-Statistical Physics Berlin: Springer-Verlag, 2002.

Selected publications

• 2005. (with G. Emch) “Explaining Quantum Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking,” Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics 36: 137-163.
• 2004. “Laws and Models in a Theory of Idealization,” Synthese 138: 363-385.
• 2003. “Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking and Chance in Classical World,” Philosophy of Science 70: 590-608.
• 1999. “Explaining the Emergence of Cooperative Phenomena,” Philosophy of Science 66(S): S92-S106.
• 1996. “Potential, Propensity and Categorical Realism,” Erkenntnis 45: 45-68.
• 1994. “The Aharonov-Bohm Effect and the Reality of Wave Packets,” British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 45: 977-1000.
• 1993. “The Arrow of Time in Quantum Gravity,” Philosophy of Science 60: 619-637.
• 1992. “Einstein and Relativistic Thermodynamics in 1952,” British Journal for the History of Science 25: 185-206.

Recent presentations

• 2007. “The emergence of the classical world at the thermodynamic limit,” presented at Boston Colloquium for Philosophy of Science: Explanation in Physics, Boston University, April 16.
• 2007. “Confirming idealized theories and scientific realism,” presented at the LSE - Pittsburgh Joint Conference ‘Confirmation, Induction and Science,’ London School of Economic, March 8-10.
• 2006. “Approximation and its Measures,” the History and Philosophy of Science Lecture, delivered at the Department of Philosophy, Beijing University, Beijing, May 19.
• 2006. “Idealization and Laws of Nature,” delivered at Department of Philosophy, the University of Caldas, Manizales, Colombia, June 8, 2006.
• 2006. “Quantum Logic and Postmodernism,” given at a joint session with Department of Philosophy and Department of Economics, the University of Caldas, Manizales, Colombia, June 10, 2006.
• 2006. “Problems and Issues in Philosophy of Science,” a lecture series delivered at Philosophy Department, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, May 8 - 21.
• 2006. “On the Concept of ‘Carving Nature at its Joints,’” the Humanities & Science Lecture, delivered at the College of Philosophy and Humanities, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, May 14.
• 2006. “Coins and Electrons: a Unified Understanding of Probabilistic Objects,” the Philosophy Salon Lecture, delivered at the Center for Science, Technology, and Society Studies, Tsinghua University, Beijing, May 12.
• 2005. “Approximation and Its Measures, ” delivered at the Philosophy Department, Wuhan University, Wuhan, June 8.
• 2005. “Chance and Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking,” delivered at the Philosophy Department, Central China University of Science and Technology , Wuhan, June 7.
• 2005. “Parfit and Foundations of Social Sciences,” a lecture series delivered at the Center for Science, Technology, and Society Studies, Tsinghua University, Beijing, May 31 - June 6.
• 2004. “Approximation and Its Measures,” delivered at Séminaire du REHSEIS: histoire et philosophie de la physique (2004-2005): Les raisons de l’à-peu-prés, Université de Paris 7-Denis Diderot, November 9.
• 2002. “Chance and Spontaneous Symmetry-Breaking,” presented at the APA Eastern Division meeting, Philadelphia, December 29.
• 2002. “Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking: Its Meaning from a Simple Mechanical Model,” presented at the biennial meeting of the Philosophy of Science Association (PSA), Milwaukee, November 7-10.
• 2000. “Infinite Systems in SM Explanations: Thermodynamic Limit, Renormalization (semi-) Groups, and Irreversibility,” presented at the biennial meeting of the Philosophy of Science Association (PSA), Vancouver, BC, November 2-5.
• 2000. “Laws and Carving Nature at its Joints,” delivered at at the Center for Science, Technology, and Society Studies, Tsinghua University, Beijing, June 6.
• 2000. “Coordination of Space and Unity of Science,” delivered at the Center for Science, Technology, and Society Studies, Tsinghua University, Beijing, June 7.
• 2000. “Laws and Carving Nature at its Joints,” delivered at the Department of Philosophy, Beijing University, Beijing, June 8.

Awards

• NSF Grant: SES, NSF 05-588 (2006): Quantum measurement at the limit? Idealization, emergence, and spontaneous symmetry breaking.
• NSF Grant: STS, NSF 97-142 (2000): Idealization and idealized models in thermo-statistical physics.

Chuang Liu

Areas of Specialization

• Philosophy of Physics
• Philosophy of Science

Education

• 1991: Ph. D. History and Philosophy of Science, University of Pittsburgh.
• 1982: B. S. Physics, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.

Contact Information

Email: <cliu>
Office: 115D Griffin-Floyd Hall

Professor Chuang Liu
Department of Philosophy
330 Griffin-Floyd Hall
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL 32611-8545

(352) 392-2084 ext 333 (voice)
(352) 392-5577 (fax)

In the elder days of art,
Builders wrought with greatest care
Each minute and unseen part,
For the gods are everywhere.
                  —Longfellow

Das Ewig Weibliche
Zieht uns hinan.
                  —Goethe

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Faculty < Department < College < University