Physical Theories| Physical Theories |
Frameworks
> s.a. Newtonian Physics; paradigms;
Theory; theory of physical theories [criteria, relationships].
@ General references: Pitts BJPS(11)-a1606 [empirical equivalence and underdetermination of field theories];
Martins a1701 [evaluating theories].
@ Aristotelian physics: Rovelli JAPA(15)-a1312 [as limit of Newtonian physics].
@ Scale symmetry, theories with no fundamental scales:
news sf(14)aug;
> s.a. scale invariance.
> Related topics: see Multiscale
Physics; renormalization; time [physics based on
intuitionist mathematics].
Foundations
> s.a. computation; matter; Metaphysics;
philosophy of physics; quantum mechanics.
* Fundamental theory:
A hypothetical final theory at the "bottom" of physics; Some
physicists believe that current physics has already found the basic
framework for a complete description of reality, and only has to fill
in the details ("fundamentalist view"); Others suspect that no single
framework, from physics or other sources, will ever capture reality
("secular view"); Yet others guess that reality might be approached
arbitrarily closely by some form of future physics, but probably based
on completely different frameworks ("mystic view"); & Karen Crowther
(Geneva) on checklist for a candidate final theory.
@ Proposals re foundations:
Barbour FP(89);
Stein 96;
Svozil in(98)qp/97;
Collins FP(05);
Esfeld et al a1411 [primitive stuff];
Hartmann FP-a1504
[operationalization of basic observables];
Oeckl a1610 [framework based on locality and operationalism];
Visser a1805-FQXi [what is fundamental?];
Mermin RPP(19)-a1809 [unvoiced but widely shared assumptions, and quantum theory];
> s.a. physics.
@ Theoretical foundations: Frank 46;
Krieger 96 [matter];
Schommers 98;
Wilczek PT(04)dec [mass and force];
Foschini a1101-FQXi [language];
Benioff a1110-ch
[local availability of mathematics and scaling];
Mittelstaedt 13 [hypotheses];
Ghassib a1405 [and the nature of mathematics];
Dardashti et al ed-19 [epistemology];
Pavšič 20 [misconceptions].
@ Physics and mathematics: Enz & Mehra 74;
Oldershaw AJP(88)dec;
> s.a. mathematical physics.
@ Development of ideas: Dirac SA(63)may;
Ryde 94;
Rohrlich FP(96) [unreasonable effectiveness of physical intuition];
Scorzato a1604-in [definition of progress].
> Basic concepts: see Physical
Laws; Physical Processes.
Visions, Theories of Everything (ToE)
> s.a. computation [universe as computer]; information;
Metaphysics; quantum foundations.
* Examples:
Wheeler's "higgledy-piggledy"; The holographic hypothesis;
Information theory and computer-inspired models.
* Issue: Penrose's
math-matter-mind triangle, which points out the circularity of the
widespread view that math arises from the mind, the mind arises out of
matter, and that matter can be explained in terms of mathematics.
@ I: Weinberg 92;
Lindley 93;
Horgan SA(94)feb;
Hawking & Mlodinow 10.
@ Nature of laws, math, symmetries: Anandan FP(99)qp/98,
IJTP(03)qp-conf [no laws];
Mohrhoff FP(02)qp;
Tegmark FP(08)-a0704-FP [External Reality Hypothesis and Mathematical Universe Hypothesis],
NS-a0709 ["shut up and calculate"],
comments Jannes FP(09)-a0904;
Robinson a1111
[unique actual world, and cosmic coincidences];
Finkelstein a1201 [proposal of quantum mechanism for logogenesis];
Smolin a1205 [quantum physics and evolution of dynamical laws];
Maxwell a1210;
Kiefer ER(14)-a1301-proc [and changes with quantum gravity];
Yudell BJPS(13) [meta-laws of nature];
Knuth CP(14)-a1310 [observer-centric physics];
Stoica a1402 [observations and knowledge of physical laws];
Smolin PT(14)mar [cosmology and evolution of physical laws];
Caprara & Vulpiani FP(18)-a1810 [Wheeler's law without law];
Carroll a2103-in [reality as a vector in Hilbert space];
Alexander et al a2104 [the universe as an autodidactic system];
> s.a. theory of physical theories.
@ Theories of everything: Kaiser 90;
Taylor FP(93);
Tegmark AP(98)gq/97;
Hartle gq/02-ch;
Tipler RPP(05)-a0704 [extended standard model + Feynman-Weinberg quantum gravity];
Hutter Algo(10)-a0912 [necessity of including observer localization];
Kragh 11 [historical view];
Josephson a1502 [agential realism];
Kragh a1510 [Eddington's Theory of Everything];
't Hooft a1709;
Smolin FP(18)-a1712 [universe constituted of views of events];
Friedan a1810 [pragmatic approach];
> s.a. unified theories.
@ Higgledy-piggledy etc: Patton & Wheeler in(75);
Wheeler IJTP(82),
pr(82),
AJP(83)may,
IBM(88);
Deutsch FP(86).
@ Visions, speculations: Gamow PT(49) [future];
Talbot 92 [holographic];
Barut FP(94) [criticism of "final theories"];
Nanopoulos RNC(94);
Laszlo 95;
Bastin & Kilmister 95 [combinatorial];
Jaroszkiewicz qp/01 ["machine principle"];
Dadhich gq/03,
gq/04 ["universalization"],
phy/05;
Hut, Alford & Tegmark FP(06)phy/05 [three views on math, matter and mind];
't Hooft IJMPA(08) [Salam's grand view of physics];
Miković a0903 [with fundamental observer-independent time];
Kauffman a0907 [post-reductionist science];
Oury & Heintz a0908 [absolute relativity theory];
Schommers 10;
Cohen-Tannoudji & Hudlet a1101-proc [cosmology, thermodynamics, and gravity];
Barrand a1108;
Heinrich a1202 [relativity of existence];
Plamondon 12;
Pfrimer a1208;
Cohen-Tannoudji a1402 [generalized complementarity];
Josephson a1506 [how observers create reality];
van Veenendaal a1606;
Frank npr(16)jun
[on Smolin & Unger's vision];
D'Ariano PTRS(18)-a1801 [based on mathematics only];
Ben-Ya'acov a1906 [unavoidable incompleteness].
@ Suspicious references and other points of view:
Herrmann ap/99;
McCutcheon 04.
@ Aspects: Ellis FP(06) [and the real world];
> s.a. areas of physics [including status, future];
holography; quantum spacetime.
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send feedback and suggestions to bombelli at olemiss.edu – modified 9 apr 2021