New Spaces in Physics: Volume 2: Formal and Conceptual Reflections

Description

After the development of manifolds and algebraic varieties in the previous century, mathematicians and physicists have continued to advance concepts of space. This book and its companion explore various new notions of space, including both formal and conceptual points of view, as presented by leading experts at the New Spaces in Mathematics and Physics workshop held at the Institut Henri Poincare in 2015. This volume covers a broad range of topics in mathematical physics, including noncommutative geometry, supergeometry, derived symplectic geometry, higher geometric quantization, intuitionistic quantum logic, problems with the continuum description of spacetime, twistor theory, loop quantum gravity, and geometry in string theory. It is addressed primarily to mathematical physicists and mathematicians, but also to historians and philosophers of these disciplines.

Mathieu Anel is a Visiting Assistant Professor at Carnegie Mellon University. His research interests include higher category theory, algebraic topology, and topos theory. Gabriel Catren is Permanent Researcher in philosophy of physics at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS). His research interests include the foundations of classical and quantum mechanics, and the foundations of gauge theories.

'The collection would be of interest to any physicist, mathematician, historian, or philosopher seeking a survey of the approaches to dealing with the modern concept of space in physics ... Recommended.' E. Kincanon, Choice Magazine