Unification of the Duality of the Light in One Form

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Unification of the Duality of the Light in One Form Recent Advances in Systems Science and Mathematical Modelling Unification of the duality of the light in one form CLAUDE ZIAD BAYEH1, 2 1Faculty of Engineering II, Lebanese University 2EGRDI transaction on Physics (2001) LEBANON Email: [email protected] NIKOS E.MASTORAKIS WSEAS (Research and Development Department) http://www.worldses.org/research/index.html Agiou Ioannou Theologou 17-2315773, Zografou, Athens,GREECE [email protected] Abstract: - The light has duality of properties or characteristics, it is considered as a wave and as a package of energy or photon. In experiments the scientists separated the both dualities, for example in the polarization, diffraction, refraction, reflection and interference experiments, they use the wave characteristics of the light. In other experiments for example in photoelectric effect they use the photon characteristics of the light. In some experiments we consider that the light behave as a wave form such as in reflection, refraction, diffraction... and we can’t use in these experiments the characteristics of the photon because it doesn’t apply. And in other experiments such as the variation of the energy of an electron due to a photons beam can be explained using the photons properties and not the wave properties because they don’t apply. In reality, the light has both dualities of properties and characteristics of Photon and Electromagnetic wave. So if we want to explain the real fact of experiments, then we should not separate the both forms of the light because they are combined and not separated. For this reason and many others, the author proposed in this paper many characteristics of the light that combine the both duality and proposed a unique form of the light as a Photon-electromagnetic form. And also the author explains each experiments in the classical physics using the proposed characteristics under the quantum theories. Key-words:-Light characteristics, Photon, Wavelength, Properties of light, Energy, Reflection, Refraction, Diffraction, Interference, Polarization. 1 Introduction consists of an oscillating electric field and an Light is a form of energy, and exists in two oscillating magnetic field, hence the name conceptual frameworks: light exhibits properties that electromagnetic radiation. We should note that the have characteristics of discrete particles (eg. energy two fields are oscillating perpendicular to each other. is carried away in "chunks") and characteristics of Light is only one form of electromagnetic radiation. waves (e.g. diffraction) [1]. This split is known as The light has a large range of frequencies; in duality. It is important to understand that this is not particular case the frequency range for visible light is an "either/or" situation. Duality means that the only a small portion of the spectrum with violet and characteristics of both waves and particles are red being the highest and lowest frequencies present at the same time. The same beam of light will respectively. Since violet light has a higher frequency behave as a particle and/or as a wave depending on than red, we say that it has more energy. If you go all the experiment [2-10]. Furthermore, the particle the way out on the electromagnetic spectrum, you framework (chunks) can have interactions which can will see that gamma rays are the most energetic. This be described in terms of wave characteristics and the should come as no surprise since it is commonly wave framework can have interactions that can be known that gamma rays have enough energy to described in terms of particle characteristics. The penetrate many materials. particle form is known as a photon, and the waveform is known as electromagnetic radiation [11- Briefly one defines the following properties of light: 15]. Speed, Frequency, Wavelength, and Energy. The wave form of light is actually a form of energy that is created by an oscillating charge. This charge The problem is that till now, the light describes a dual nature according to the scientists, as a ISBN: 978-1-61804-141-8 56 Recent Advances in Systems Science and Mathematical Modelling continuous wave and a discrete particle (photon). The • The speed of light, c = 299,792.458 km/s, is the scientists give examples of light exhibiting both same for all observers, independent of their motion natures. relative to the source of light. (This is the same as the In fact, till now the scientists separate the both second postulate of Einstein) [2-10]. duality of the light and treat everyone in a separate way but in reality the two characteristics are • The light has the following properties: Speed, presented into one form in the nature. Until now this Frequency, Wavelength, and Energy. form is not described as a single phenomenon and the scientist didn’t create a single form of the light that • The light behaves as a wave and it has six explains the duality of photon-electromagnetic properties of electromagnetic waves which are: radiation phenomenon. -Polarization -Superposition -Reflection In this paper, the author proposes a new form that -Refraction -Diffraction -Interference explains the duality of the Photon-Electromagnetic radiation. And also he proposed many new • The light can be polarized, by using the polarizing characteristics that combine and explain the duality material. of the light. In section 2, some existing characteristics of the light • The particle-like nature of light is modeled with are presented. In the section 3, the author proposes photons. A photon has no mass and no charge. It is a his own characteristics which are in fact the fruit of a carrier of electromagnetic energy and interacts with heavy work and many experiments and they are in other discrete particles (e.g., electrons, atoms, and coherence with the theories of quantum physics. In molecules). A beam of light is modeled as a stream section 4, Study of different case of the wave form is of photons, each carrying a well-defined energy that presented with different cases such as reflection, is dependent upon the wavelength of the light. The refraction, diffraction, interference… and finally a energy of a given photon can be calculated by: conclusion is presented in the final section. = ℎ ∙ / (1) Where E is in joules 2 Existing characteristics of the light h = Planck’s constant = 6.625 10 J.s In this section, a brief study about the existing c = Speed of light = 2.998 × 10 m/s characteristics of the light is given. The main goal is λ = Wavelength of the light in meters to understand exactly how the light behaves in the space and in a medium. • There is a minimum energy threshold for an • The light is forming by two important forms: electron to escape from the metal. Photons with -Electromagnetic radiation (light is a special kind of frequencies below a given threshold eject no electromagnetic energy.) electrons, no matter how intense the light. Photons -photon or package of energy. with frequencies above the threshold do eject electrons, no matter how low the intensity. The • Light travels in a vacuum at a constant speed, and energy of the released electrons can be calculated this speed is considered a universal constant. from Equation: It is important to note that speed changes for light = ℎ ∙ − (2) traveling through non vacuum media such as air Where (0.03% slower) or glass (30.0% slower). p = characteristic escape energy for the metal. = the kinetic energy of an escaping electron. • Scientists have observed that light energy can hc/λ = the energy of the photon of wavelength λ. behave like a wave as it moves through space, or it can behave like a discrete particle with a discrete • The photon has a momentum that is mean it is in amount of energy (quantum) that can be absorbed rotation always. And the equation of the momentum and emitted. is = + with = 0 ⇒ = = ℎ. = ℎ. (3) •Valid laws of physics are the same for all inertial observers (people, who move at constant velocity, maybe zero, relative to the “fixed stars”). (This is the • An electromagnetic wave is made of an electric same as the first postulate of Einstein) [2-10]. field and a magnetic field that alternately get weaker and stronger. The directions of the fields are at right angles to the direction the wave is moving. ISBN: 978-1-61804-141-8 57 Recent Advances in Systems Science and Mathematical Modelling = = ∙ (4) complete the existing ones in the previous sections which are agreed by all scientists. Where is the length of the wave for one period. For example, in some experiments we consider that is the period of the wave. the light behaves as a wave form such as in is the velocity of the wave. reflection, refraction, diffraction, etc... and we can’t is the frequency of the wave. use in these experiments the characteristics of the photon because it doesn’t apply. And in other experiments such as the variation of the energy of an electron due to a photons beam can be explained using the photons properties and not the wave properties. In reality, the light has both dualities of properties of Photon and Electromagnetic wave. So if we want to explain the real facts of experiments, then we should not separate the both forms of the light Fig. 1: One-dimensional representation of the because they are combined and not separated. For electromagnetic wave [1]. this reason and many others, the author proposed the following characteristics of the light: • The light moves independently of its source and the speed of the light is independent of the speed of the matter. • In the instant when the light is separating from the matter, the speed of light will be independent of the velocity of the matter.
Recommended publications
  • Unification of Gravity and Quantum Theory Adam Daniels Old Dominion University, [email protected]
    Old Dominion University ODU Digital Commons Faculty-Sponsored Student Research Electrical & Computer Engineering 2017 Unification of Gravity and Quantum Theory Adam Daniels Old Dominion University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/engineering_students Part of the Elementary Particles and Fields and String Theory Commons, Engineering Physics Commons, and the Quantum Physics Commons Repository Citation Daniels, Adam, "Unification of Gravity and Quantum Theory" (2017). Faculty-Sponsored Student Research. 1. https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/engineering_students/1 This Report is brought to you for free and open access by the Electrical & Computer Engineering at ODU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty-Sponsored Student Research by an authorized administrator of ODU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Unification of Gravity and Quantum Theory Adam D. Daniels [email protected] Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Old Dominion University Norfolk, Virginia, United States Abstract- An overview of the four fundamental forces of objects falling on earth. Newton’s insight was that the force that physics as described by the Standard Model (SM) and prevalent governs matter here on Earth was the same force governing the unifying theories beyond it is provided. Background knowledge matter in space. Another critical step forward in unification was of the particles governing the fundamental forces is provided, accomplished in the 1860s when James C. Maxwell wrote down as it will be useful in understanding the way in which the his famous Maxwell’s Equations, showing that electricity and unification efforts of particle physics has evolved, either from magnetism were just two facets of a more fundamental the SM, or apart from it.
    [Show full text]
  • Unification of Nature's Fundamental Forces
    Unification of Nature’s Geoffrey B. West Fredrick M. Cooper Fundamental Forces Emil Mottola a continuing search Michael P. Mattis it was explicitly recognized at the time that basic research had an im- portant and seminal role to play even in the highly programmatic en- vironment of the Manhattan Project. Not surprisingly this mode of opera- tion evolved into the remarkable and unique admixture of pure, applied, programmatic, and technological re- search that is the hallmark of the present Laboratory structure. No- where in the world today can one find under one roof such diversity of talent dealing with such a broad range of scientific and technological challenges—from questions con- cerning the evolution of the universe and the nature of elementary parti- cles to the structure of new materi- als, the design and control of weapons, the mysteries of the gene, and the nature of AIDS! Many of the original scientists would have, in today’s parlance, identified themselves as nuclear or particle physicists. They explored the most basic laws of physics and continued the search for and under- standing of the “fundamental build- ing blocks of nature’’ and the princi- t is a well-known, and much- grappled with deep questions con- ples that govern their interactions. overworked, adage that the group cerning the consequences of quan- It is therefore fitting that this area of Iof scientists brought to Los tum mechanics, the structure of the science has remained a highly visi- Alamos to work on the Manhattan atom and its nucleus, and the devel- ble and active component of the Project constituted the greatest as- opment of quantum electrodynamics basic research activity at Los Alam- semblage of scientific talent ever (QED, the relativistic quantum field os.
    [Show full text]
  • Aspects of Loop Quantum Gravity
    Aspects of loop quantum gravity Alexander Nagen 23 September 2020 Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science of Imperial College London 1 Contents 1 Introduction 4 2 Classical theory 12 2.1 The ADM / initial-value formulation of GR . 12 2.2 Hamiltonian GR . 14 2.3 Ashtekar variables . 18 2.4 Reality conditions . 22 3 Quantisation 23 3.1 Holonomies . 23 3.2 The connection representation . 25 3.3 The loop representation . 25 3.4 Constraints and Hilbert spaces in canonical quantisation . 27 3.4.1 The kinematical Hilbert space . 27 3.4.2 Imposing the Gauss constraint . 29 3.4.3 Imposing the diffeomorphism constraint . 29 3.4.4 Imposing the Hamiltonian constraint . 31 3.4.5 The master constraint . 32 4 Aspects of canonical loop quantum gravity 35 4.1 Properties of spin networks . 35 4.2 The area operator . 36 4.3 The volume operator . 43 2 4.4 Geometry in loop quantum gravity . 46 5 Spin foams 48 5.1 The nature and origin of spin foams . 48 5.2 Spin foam models . 49 5.3 The BF model . 50 5.4 The Barrett-Crane model . 53 5.5 The EPRL model . 57 5.6 The spin foam - GFT correspondence . 59 6 Applications to black holes 61 6.1 Black hole entropy . 61 6.2 Hawking radiation . 65 7 Current topics 69 7.1 Fractal horizons . 69 7.2 Quantum-corrected black hole . 70 7.3 A model for Hawking radiation . 73 7.4 Effective spin-foam models .
    [Show full text]
  • Introduction to Loop Quantum Gravity
    Introduction to Loop Quantum Gravity Abhay Ashtekar Institute for Gravitation and the Cosmos, Penn State A broad perspective on the challenges, structure and successes of loop quantum gravity. Addressed to Young Researchers: From Beginning Students to Senior Post-docs. Organization: 1. Historical & Conceptual Setting 2. Structure of Loop Quantum Gravity 3. Outlook: Challenges and Opportunities – p. 1. Historical and Conceptual Setting Einstein’s resistance to accept quantum mechanics as a fundamental theory is well known. However, he had a deep respect for quantum mechanics and was the first to raise the problem of unifying general relativity with quantum theory. “Nevertheless, due to the inner-atomic movement of electrons, atoms would have to radiate not only electro-magnetic but also gravitational energy, if only in tiny amounts. As this is hardly true in Nature, it appears that quantum theory would have to modify not only Maxwellian electrodynamics, but also the new theory of gravitation.” (Albert Einstein, Preussische Akademie Sitzungsberichte, 1916) – p. • Physics has advanced tremendously in the last 90 years but the the problem of unification of general relativity and quantum physics still open. Why? ⋆ No experimental data with direct ramifications on the quantum nature of Gravity. – p. • Physics has advanced tremendously in the last nine decades but the the problem of unification of general relativity and quantum physics is still open. Why? ⋆ No experimental data with direct ramifications on the quantum nature of Gravity. ⋆ But then this should be a theorist’s haven! Why isn’t there a plethora of theories? – p. ⋆ No experimental data with direct ramifications on quantum Gravity.
    [Show full text]
  • Fundamental Elements and Interactions of Nature: a Classical Unification Theory
    Volume 2 PROGRESS IN PHYSICS April, 2010 Fundamental Elements and Interactions of Nature: A Classical Unification Theory Tianxi Zhang Department of Physics, Alabama A & M University, Normal, Alabama, USA. E-mail: [email protected] A classical unification theory that completely unifies all the fundamental interactions of nature is developed. First, the nature is suggested to be composed of the following four fundamental elements: mass, radiation, electric charge, and color charge. All known types of matter or particles are a combination of one or more of the four fundamental elements. Photons are radiation; neutrons have only mass; protons have both mass and electric charge; and quarks contain mass, electric charge, and color charge. The nature fundamental interactions are interactions among these nature fundamental elements. Mass and radiation are two forms of real energy. Electric and color charges are con- sidered as two forms of imaginary energy. All the fundamental interactions of nature are therefore unified as a single interaction between complex energies. The interac- tion between real energies is the gravitational force, which has three types: mass-mass, mass-radiation, and radiation-radiation interactions. Calculating the work done by the mass-radiation interaction on a photon derives the Einsteinian gravitational redshift. Calculating the work done on a photon by the radiation-radiation interaction derives a radiation redshift, which is much smaller than the gravitational redshift. The interaction between imaginary energies is the electromagnetic (between electric charges), weak (between electric and color charges), and strong (between color charges) interactions. In addition, we have four imaginary forces between real and imaginary energies, which are mass-electric charge, radiation-electric charge, mass-color charge, and radiation- color charge interactions.
    [Show full text]
  • Electromagnetic Unification 84 - Què És La Ciència? 150Th Anniversary of Maxwell's Equations Written by Augusto Beléndez
    Electromagnetic Unification 13/03/15 10:39 CATALÀ ESPAÑOL search... HOME JOURNAL ANNUAL REVIEW SUBSCRIPTIONS BOOKS NEWS O2C MÈTODE TV Home ARTICLE Issues ( All covers ) Electromagnetic Unification 84 - Què és la ciència? 150th Anniversary of Maxwell's Equations Written by Augusto Beléndez Compartir | 0 What Is Science? A Multidisciplinary Approach to Scientific Thought Winter 2014/15 116 pages PVP: 10.00 € Categories -- Select category -- Authors - Select an autor - By kind permission of the Master and Fellows of Peterhouse (Cambridge, UK) Picture of James Clerk Maxwell (1831-1879), who, together with Newton and Einstein, is considered one of the greats in the history of physics. His theory of the electromagnetic field was fundamental for the comprehension of natural phenomena and for the development of technology, specially for telecommunications. When we use mobile phones, listen to the radio, use the remote control, watch «At the beginning of the TV or heat up food in the microwave, we may not know James Clerk Maxwell is the nineteenth century, one to thank for making these technologies possible. In 1865, Maxwell published electricity, magnetism an article titled «A Dynamical Theory of the Electromagnetic Field», where he and optics were three stated: «it seems we have strong reason to conclude that light itself (including independent radiant heat, and other radiations if any) is an electromagnetic disturbance in the disciplines» form of waves propagated through the electromagnetic field according to electromagnetic laws» (Maxwell, 1865). Now, in 2015, we celebrate the 150th anniversary of Maxwell’s equations and the electromagnetic theory of light, events commemorating the «International Year of Light and Light-Based Technologies», declared by the UN.
    [Show full text]
  • PMEM and Unification
    Pre-metric electromagnetism as a path to unification. DAVID DELPHENICH Independent researcher Spring Valley, OH 45370, USA [email protected] It is shown that the pre-metric approach to Maxwell’s equations provides an alternative to the traditional Einstein- Maxwell unification problem, namely, that electromagnetism and gravitation are unified in a different way that makes the gravitational field a consequence of the electromagnetic constitutive properties of spacetime, by way of the dispersion law for the propagation of electromagnetic waves. Keyw ords: Pre-metric electromagnetism, Einstein-Maxwell unification problem, line geometry, electromagnetic constitutive laws 1. The Einstein-Maxwell unification problem. fundamental distinctions between them, as well. In particular, the analogy between mass and Ever since Einstein succeeded in accounting for charge was not complete, since at the time (and the presence of gravitation in the universe by to this point in time, as well), no one had ever showing how it was a natural consequence of the observed what one might call “negative” mass or curvature of the Levi-Civita connection that one “anti-gravitation.” Of course, the possibility that derived from the Lorentzian metric on the such a unification of gravitation and spacetime manifold, he naturally wondered if the electromagnetism might lead to such tantalizing other fundamental force of nature that was consequences has been an ongoing source of known at the time – namely, electromagnetism – impetus for the search for that theory. could also be explained in a similar way. Since Several attempts followed by Einstein and the best-accepted theory of electromagnetism at others (cf., e.g., [1] and part II of [2]) at the time (as well as the best-accepted “classical” achieving such a unification.
    [Show full text]
  • Gravity, Particle Physics and Their Unification 1 Introduction
    Gravity, Particle Physics and Their Unification Juan M. Maldacena Department of Physics Harvard University Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138 1 Introduction Our present world picture is based on two theories: the Standard Model of par- ticle physics and general relativity, the theory of gravity. These two theories have scored astonishing successes. It is therefore quite striking when one learns that this picture of the laws of physics is inconsistent. The inconsistency comes from taking a part of theory, the Standard Model, as a quantum theory and the other, gravity, as a classical theory. At first sight, it seems that all we need to do is to quantize general relativity. But if one performs an expansion in terms of Feynman diagrams, the technique used in the Standard Model, then one finds in- finities that cannot be absorbed in a renormalization of the Newton constant (and the cosmological constant). In fact, as one goes to higher and higher orders in perturbation theory, one would have to include more and more counterterms. In other words, the theory is not renormalizable. So, the principle that is so crucial for constructing the Standard Model fails. It is now more surprising that an inconsistent theory could agree so well with experiment! The reason for this is that quantum gravity effects are usually very small, due to the weakness of gravity relative to other forces. Because the effects of gravity are proportional to the mass, or the energy of the particle, they grow at high energies. At energies of the order of E ∼ 1019 GeV, gravity would have a strength comparable with that of the other Standard Model interactions.1 We should also remember that physics, as we understand it now, cannot ex- plain the most important “experiment” that ever happened: the Big Bang.
    [Show full text]
  • The Philosophy Behind Quantum Gravity
    The Philosophy behind Quantum Gravity Henrik Zinkernagel Department of Philosophy, Campus de Cartuja, 18071, University of Granada, Spain. [email protected] Published in Theoria - An International Journal for Theory, History and Foundations of Science (San Sebastián, Spain), Vol. 21/3, 2006, pp. 295-312. Abstract This paper investigates some of the philosophical and conceptual issues raised by the search for a quantum theory of gravity. It is critically discussed whether such a theory is necessary in the first place, and how much would be accomplished if it is eventually constructed. I argue that the motivations behind, and expectations to, a theory of quantum gravity are entangled with central themes in the philosophy of science, in particular unification, reductionism, and the interpretation of quantum mechanics. I further argue that there are –contrary to claims made on behalf of string theory –no good reasons to think that a quantum theory of gravity, if constructed, will provide a theory of everything, that is, a fundamental theory from which all physics in principle can be derived. 1. Introduction One of the outstanding tasks in fundamental physics, according to many theoretical physicists, is the construction of a quantum theory of gravity. The so far unsuccessful attempt to construct such a theory is an attempt to unify Einstein's general theory of relativity with quantum theory (or quantum field theory). While quantum gravity aims to describe everything in the universe in terms of quantum theory, the purpose of the closely related project of quantum cosmology is to describe even the universe as a whole as a quantum system.
    [Show full text]
  • The Elegant Universe
    The Elegant Universe Teacher’s Guide On the Web It’s the holy grail of physics—the search for the ultimate explanation of how the universe works. And in the past few years, excitement has grown among NOVA has developed a companion scientists in pursuit of a revolutionary approach to unify nature’s four Web site to accompany “The Elegant fundamental forces through a set of ideas known as superstring theory. NOVA Universe.” The site features interviews unravels this intriguing theory in its three-part series “The Elegant Universe,” with string theorists, online activities based on physicist Brian Greene’s best-selling book of the same name. to help clarify the concepts of this revolutionary theory, ways to view the The first episode introduces string theory, traces human understanding of the program online, and more. Find it at universe from Newton’s laws to quantum mechanics, and outlines the quest www.pbs.org/nova/elegant/ for and challenges of unification. The second episode traces the development of string theory and the Standard Model and details string theory’s potential to bridge the gap between quantum mechanics and the general theory of relativity. The final episode explores what the universe might be like if string theory is correct and discusses experimental avenues for testing the theory. Throughout the series, scientists who have made advances in the field share personal stories, enabling viewers to experience the thrills and frustrations of physicists’ search for the “theory of everything.” Program Host Brian Greene, a physicist who has made string theory widely accessible to public audiences, hosts NOVA’s three-part series “The Elegant Universe.” A professor of physics and mathematics at Columbia University in New York, Greene received his undergraduate degree from Harvard University and his doctorate from Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar.
    [Show full text]
  • Zakopane Lectures on Loop Gravity
    Zakopane lectures on loop gravity Carlo Rovelli∗ Centre de Physique Théorique de Luminy,† Case 907, F-13288 Marseille, EU E-mail: [email protected] These are introductory lectures on loop quantum gravity. The theory is presented in self-contained form, without emphasis on its derivation from classical general relativity. Dynamics is given in the covariant form. Some applications are described. 3rd Quantum Gravity and Quantum Geometry School February 28 - March 13, 2011 Zakopane, Poland ∗Speaker. †Unité mixte de recherche (UMR 6207) du CNRS et des Universités de Provence (Aix-Marseille I), de la Méditer- ranée (Aix-Marseille II) et du Sud (Toulon-Var); affilié à la FRUMAM (FR 2291). c Copyright owned by the author(s) under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike Licence. http://pos.sissa.it/ Loop gravity Carlo Rovelli 1. Where are we in quantum gravity? Our current knowledge on the elementary structure of nature is summed up in three theories: quantum theory, the particle-physics standard model (with neutrino mass) and general relativity (with cosmological constant). With the notable exception of the “dark matter" phenomenology, these theories appear to be in accord with virtually all present observations. But there are physical situations where these theories lack predictive power: We do not know the gravitational scattering amplitude for two particles, if the center-of-mass energy is of the order of the impact parameter in Planck units; we miss a reliable framework for very early cosmology, for predicting what happens at the end of the evaporation of a black hole, or describing the quantum structure of spacetime at very small scale.
    [Show full text]
  • Explaining Unification in Physics Internally
    Explaining Unification in Physics Internally Kian Salimkhani∗y Abstract In this paper I challenge two widespread convictions about unification in physics: (1) unification is an aim of physics and (2) unification is driven by metaphysical or metatheoretical presuppositions. I call these external explanations of why there is unification in physics. Against this, I claim that (a) unification is a by-product of physical research and (b) unification is driven by basic methodological strategies of physics alone (without any appeal to metaphysical or metatheoretical presuppositions). I call this an internal (or methodological) explanation of why there is unification in physics. To support my claims, I will investigate the actual practice undertaken in physics in paradigmatic examples of unification. Keywords: Unification; Methodology; Physics; Metaphysics 1 Introduction In this paper I challenge two common convictions about unification in physics: (1) unification is an aim (or the aim) of physics, and (2) unification is driven by metaphysical or metatheoretical presuppositions. Against this, I claim that (a) unification is a result|or for dialectical effect: a by-product|of physical re- search, and (b) unification is driven by basic methodological strategies of physics alone. In particular, I claim that unification is not driven by any appeal to meta- physical or metatheoretical presuppositions. Accordingly, the main objective of this paper is to answer the following questions: If we take physics as not explic- itly aiming for unification, then how do we explain
    [Show full text]