Reasoning in Physics
Reasoning in Physics

Author: L. Viennot

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2007-05-08

Total Pages: 229

ISBN-13: 0306476363

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For a meaningful understanding of physics, it is necessary to realise that this corpus of knowledge operates in a register different from natural thought. This book aims at situating the main trends of common reasoning in physics with respect to some essential aspects of accepted theory. It analyses a great many research results based on studies of pupils and students at various academic levels, involving a range of physical situations. It shows the impressive generality of the trends of common thought, as well as their resistance to teaching. The book's main focus is to underline to what extent natural thought is organised. As a result of this mapping out of trends of reasoning, some suggestions for teaching are presented; these have already influenced recent curricula in France. This book is intended for teachers and teacher trainers principally, but students can also benefit from it to improve their understanding of physics and of their own ways of reasoning.

Understanding Physics Using Mathematical Reasoning
Understanding Physics Using Mathematical Reasoning

Author: Andrzej Sokolowski

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2021-08-20

Total Pages: 208

ISBN-13: 3030802051

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This book speaks about physics discoveries that intertwine mathematical reasoning, modeling, and scientific inquiry. It offers ways of bringing together the structural domain of mathematics and the content of physics in one coherent inquiry. Teaching and learning physics is challenging because students lack the skills to merge these learning paradigms. The purpose of this book is not only to improve access to the understanding of natural phenomena but also to inspire new ways of delivering and understanding the complex concepts of physics. To sustain physics education in college classrooms, authentic training that would help develop high school students’ skills of transcending function modeling techniques to reason scientifically is needed and this book aspires to offer such training The book draws on current research in developing students’ mathematical reasoning. It identifies areas for advancements and proposes a conceptual framework that is tested in several case studies designed using that framework. Modeling Newton’s laws using limited case analysis, Modeling projectile motion using parametric equations and Enabling covariational reasoning in Einstein formula for the photoelectric effect represent some of these case studies. A wealth of conclusions that accompany these case studies, drawn from the realities of classroom teaching, is to help physics teachers and researchers adopt these ideas in practice.

Causal Reasoning in Physics
Causal Reasoning in Physics

Author: Mathias Frisch

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2014-10-09

Total Pages: 265

ISBN-13: 1107031494

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This book argues, partly through detailed case studies, for the importance of causal reasoning in physics.

Theoretical Concepts in Physics
Theoretical Concepts in Physics

Author: M. S. Longair

Publisher:

Published: 1984

Total Pages: 366

ISBN-13: 9780521275538

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In this highly individual, and truly novel, approach to theoretical reasoning in physics, the author has provided a course that illuminates the subject from the standpoint of real physics as practised by research scientists. Professor Longair gives the basic insights, attitudes, and techniques that are the tools of the professional physicist, in a manner that conveys the intellectual excitement and beauty of the subject. The book is intended to be a supplement to more traditional courses for physics undergraduates, and the author assumes that his readers already have some knowledge of the main branches of physics. As the story unfolds, much of the core material of an undergraduate course in physics is reviewed from a more mature point of view. This is not, in fact, a substitute for existing texts. Rather it goes beyond them by improving the student's appreciation of the subject.

Reasoning About Luck
Reasoning About Luck

Author: Vinay Ambegaokar

Publisher: Courier Dover Publications

Published: 2017-01-18

Total Pages: 259

ISBN-13: 0486807010

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This book introduces college students and other readers to the uses of probability and statistics in the physical sciences, focusing on thermal and statistical physics and touching upon quantum physics. Widely praised as beautifully written and thoughtful, Reasoning About Luck explains concepts in a way that readers can understand and enjoy, even students who are not specializing in science and those outside the classroom — only some familiarity with basic algebra is necessary. Attentive readers will come away with a solid grasp of many of the basic concepts of physics and some excellent insights into the way physicists think and work. "If students who are not majoring in science understood no more physics than that presented by Ambegaokar, they would have a solid basis for thinking about physics and the other sciences." — Physics Today. "There is a real need for rethinking how we teach thermal physics—at all levels, but especially to undergraduates. Professor Ambegaokar has done just that, and given us an outstanding and ambitious textbook for nonscience majors. I find Professor Ambegaokar's style throughout the book to be graceful and witty, with a nice balance of both encouragement and admonishment." — American Journal of Physics.

The Great Mental Models, Volume 1
The Great Mental Models, Volume 1

Author: Shane Parrish

Publisher: Penguin

Published: 2024-10-15

Total Pages: 209

ISBN-13: 0593719972

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Discover the essential thinking tools you’ve been missing with The Great Mental Models series by Shane Parrish, New York Times bestselling author and the mind behind the acclaimed Farnam Street blog and “The Knowledge Project” podcast. This first book in the series is your guide to learning the crucial thinking tools nobody ever taught you. Time and time again, great thinkers such as Charlie Munger and Warren Buffett have credited their success to mental models–representations of how something works that can scale onto other fields. Mastering a small number of mental models enables you to rapidly grasp new information, identify patterns others miss, and avoid the common mistakes that hold people back. The Great Mental Models: Volume 1, General Thinking Concepts shows you how making a few tiny changes in the way you think can deliver big results. Drawing on examples from history, business, art, and science, this book details nine of the most versatile, all-purpose mental models you can use right away to improve your decision making and productivity. This book will teach you how to: Avoid blind spots when looking at problems. Find non-obvious solutions. Anticipate and achieve desired outcomes. Play to your strengths, avoid your weaknesses, … and more. The Great Mental Models series demystifies once elusive concepts and illuminates rich knowledge that traditional education overlooks. This series is the most comprehensive and accessible guide on using mental models to better understand our world, solve problems, and gain an advantage.

Readings in Qualitative Reasoning about Physical Systems
Readings in Qualitative Reasoning about Physical Systems

Author: Daniel S. Weld

Publisher: Morgan Kaufmann Publishers

Published: 1990

Total Pages: 744

ISBN-13:

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The ability to reason qualitatively about physical systems is important to understanding and interacting with the world for both humans and intelligent machines. Accordingly, this study has become an important subject of research in the artificial intelligence and cognitive science communities. The goal of "qualitative physics," as the field is sometimes known, is to capture both the commonsense knowledge of the person on the street and the tacit knowledge underlying the quantitative knowledge used by engineers and scientists. "Readings in Qualitative Reasoning About Physical Systems" is an introduction and source book for this dynamic area, presenting reprints of key papers chosen by the editors and a group of expert referees. The editors present introductions discussing the context and significance of each group of articles as well as providing pointers to the rest of the literature. In addition, the volume includes several original papers that are not available elsewhere.

Model-Based Reasoning in Science and Technology
Model-Based Reasoning in Science and Technology

Author: Lorenzo Magnani

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2016-07-01

Total Pages: 674

ISBN-13: 3319389831

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This book discusses how scientific and other types of cognition make use of models, abduction, and explanatory reasoning in order to produce important or creative changes in theories and concepts. It includes revised contributions presented during the international conference on Model-Based Reasoning (MBR’015), held on June 25-27 in Sestri Levante, Italy. The book is divided into three main parts, the first of which focuses on models, reasoning and representation. It highlights key theoretical concepts from an applied perspective, addressing issues concerning information visualization, experimental methods and design. The second part goes a step further, examining abduction, problem solving and reasoning. The respective contributions analyze different types of reasoning, discussing various concepts of inference and creativity and their relationship with experimental data. In turn, the third part reports on a number of historical, epistemological and technological issues. By analyzing possible contradictions in modern research and describing representative case studies in experimental research, this part aims at fostering new discussions and stimulating new ideas. All in all, the book provides researchers and graduate students in the field of applied philosophy, epistemology, cognitive science and artificial intelligence alike with an authoritative snapshot of current theories and applications of model-based reasoning.

Teaching Science Thinking
Teaching Science Thinking

Author: Christopher Moore

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2018-11-08

Total Pages: 180

ISBN-13: 1315298619

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Teach your students how to think like scientists. This book shows you practical ways to incorporate science thinking in your classroom using simple "Thinking Tasks" that you can insert into any lesson. What is science thinking and how can you possibly teach and assess it? How is science thinking incorporated into the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and how can it be weaved into your curriculum? This book answers these questions. This practical book provides a clear, research-verified framework for helping students develop scientific thinking as required by the NGSS. Your students will not be memorizing content but will become engaged in the real work scientists do, using critical thinking patterns such as: Recognizing patterns, Inventing new hypotheses based on observations, Separating causes from correlations, Determining relevant variables and isolating them, Testing hypotheses, and Thinking about their own thinking and the relative value of evidence. The book includes a variety of sample classroom activities and rubrics, as well as frameworks for creating your own tools. Designed for the busy teacher, this book also shows you quick and simple ways to add deep science thinking to existing lessons.

Causal Reasoning in Physics
Causal Reasoning in Physics

Author: Mathias Frisch

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2014-10-09

Total Pages: 265

ISBN-13: 1316062392

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Much has been written on the role of causal notions and causal reasoning in the so-called 'special sciences' and in common sense. But does causal reasoning also play a role in physics? Mathias Frisch argues that, contrary to what influential philosophical arguments purport to show, the answer is yes. Time-asymmetric causal structures are as integral a part of the representational toolkit of physics as a theory's dynamical equations. Frisch develops his argument partly through a critique of anti-causal arguments and partly through a detailed examination of actual examples of causal notions in physics, including causal principles invoked in linear response theory and in representations of radiation phenomena. Offering a new perspective on the nature of scientific theories and causal reasoning, this book will be of interest to professional philosophers, graduate students, and anyone interested in the role of causal thinking in science.