The Nature of a Constant of Nature: The Case of <i>G</i>
Caspar Jacobs
Abstract
Abstract Physics presents us with a symphony of natural constants: $G$ , ℏ , $c$ , and so forth. Up to this point, constants have received comparatively little philosophical attention. In this article, I provide an account of dimensionful constants, in particular the gravitational constant. I propose that they represent interquantity structure in the form of relations between quantities with different dimensions. I use this account of $G$ to settle a debate over whether mass scalings are symmetries of Newtonian gravitation. I argue that they are not, but only if we interpret mass anti-quidditistically. This is analogous to anti-haecceitism in the presence of spacetime symmetries.
Topics & Concepts
Gravitational constantConstant (computer programming)Theoretical physicsHomogeneous spaceGravitationPhysicsSpacetimeSpace (punctuation)Point (geometry)EpistemologyMathematical physicsPhilosophyClassical mechanicsMathematicsQuantum mechanicsGeometryComputer scienceLinguisticsProgramming languageRelativity and Gravitational TheoryQuantum Mechanics and ApplicationsPhilosophy and History of Science