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Philosophy of physics studies the interpretation and explanatory structure of physical theories, including the relation between mathematical models, observable phenomena and claims about what exists. Its questions include theoretical reduction, emergence and competing formulations of physical locality.

Theoretical reduction relates theories by deriving the laws or predictions of one from another together with explicit identifications of quantities and appropriate domain assumptions. A reduction can require approximation, coarse-graining or a limiting construction. Deduction of an ideal limiting model is different from exact deduction of the same properties for every finite member of a model sequence.