经典电磁学超距作用论与场论之争中的本体论问题及变迁:1837-1895

Ontological Issues and Transition in the Action at a Distance Field Theory Debate of Classical Electromagnetism:1837-1895

科学史学者常常将19世纪的电磁学区分为超距作用论派和场论派。考察1837-1895年期间的两派物理学家的著作,可以发现两大学派的理论包括本体论在超过半个世纪的争论中潜移默化地发生了变化和融合。通过关注本体论承诺的变迁,可以对经典电磁学综合过程中的学派和分歧做出更细致的划分,从而更深入地理解经典电磁学综合的意义。

Scholars of the history of science often distinguish nineteenth-century electromagnetism as the school of action at a distance theory and the school of field theory.An examination of the works of the physicists from two schools between 1837 and 1895,reveals that the theories of the two schools,including ontology,have undergone subtle changes and merged each other during the debate which lasted for more than half a century.By focusing on the shifting of ontological commitments,a more detailed division of the electromagnetism schools and disagreements between them in the process of classical electromagnetic synthesis can be made,leading to a deeper understanding of classical electromagnetic synthesis.