Time Reversal in Classical Electromagnetism

Journal article

Richard Feynman has claimed that anti-particles are nothing but particles 'propagating backwards in time'; that time reversing a particle state always turns it into the corresponding anti-particle state. According to standard quantum field theory textbooks this is not so: time reversal does not turn particles into anti-particles. Feynman's view is interesting because, in particular, it suggests a non-standard, and possibly illuminating, interpretation of the CPT theorem. This paper explores a classical analog of Feynman's view, in the context of the recent debate between David Albert and David Malament over time reversal in classical electromagnetism.

Authors: Arntzenius, F; Greaves, H

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: BRITISH JOURNAL FOR THE PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE
• Volume: 60
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 557-584
• Publication date: 2009-09-01
• DOI: 10.1093/bjps/axp015
• EISSN: 1464-3537
• ISSN: 0007-0882
• Language: English