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The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 1996 47(1):63-78; doi:10.1093/bjps/47.1.63
© 1996 by British Society for the Philosophy of Science
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Why Ergodic Theory Does Not Explain the Success of Equilibrium Statistical Mechanics

John Earman1 and Miklós Rédei2

1Department of History and Philosophy of Science, 1017 Cathedral of Learning, University of Pittsburgh
2Center for Philosophy of Science, University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, 15260 PA, USA

We argue that, contrary to some analyses in the philosophy of science literature, ergodic theory falls short in explaining the success of classical equilibrium statistical mechanics. Our claim is based on the observations that dynamical systems for which statistical mechanics works are most likely not ergodic, and that ergodicity is both too strong and too weak a condition for the required explanation: one needs only ergodic-like behaviour for the finite set of observables that matter, but the behaviour must ensure that the approach to equilibrium for these observables is on the appropriate time-scale.


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