R.I.G Hughes presents a series of eight philosophical essays on the theoretical practices of physics. The first two essays examine these practices as they appear in physicists' treatises (e.g. Newton's Principia and Opticks) and journal articles (by Einstein, Bohm and Pines, Aharonov and Bohm). By treating these publications as texts, Hughes casts the philosopher of science in the role of critic. This premise guides the following 6 essays which deal with various concerns of philosophy and physics such as laws, disunities, models and representation, computer simulation, explanation, and the discourse of physics.
R. I. G. Hughes explores the theoretical practices that scientists use in doing physics. He offers a critical examination of accounts that notable physicists give of their practices, and investigates the roles of laws, disunities, models and representation, computer simulation, and explanation, in physics as it has been practised.
