Naturalness, extra-empirical theory assessments, and the implications of skepticism

DOI10.1007/S10701-018-0220-XzbMATH Open1431.81173arXiv1806.07289OpenAlexW3106326078WikidataQ129055283 ScholiaQ129055283MaRDI QIDQ2286552FDOQ2286552

James D. Wells

Publication date: 22 January 2020

Published in: Foundations of Physics (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: Naturalness is an extra-empirical quality that aims to assess plausibility of a theory. Finetuning measures are often deputized to quantify the task. However, knowing statistical distributions on parameters appears necessary. Such meta-theories are not known yet. A critical discussion of these issues is presented, including their possible resolutions in fixed points. Both agreement to and skepticism of naturalness's utility remains credible, as is skepticism to any extra-empirical theory assessment (SEETA) that claims to identify "more correct" theories that are equally empirically adequate. The severe implications of SEETA are set forward in some detail. We conclude with a summary and discussion of the viability of three main viewpoints toward naturalness and fine-tuning, where the "moderate naturalness position" is suggested to be most appealing, not suffering from the disquietudes of the extreme pro- and anti-naturalness positions.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/1806.07289

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zbMATH Keywords

fine-tuningparticle physicsnaturalness

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

General and philosophical questions in quantum theory (81P05) Unified quantum theories (81V22)

Cites Work

• A supersymmetry primer.
• Naturalness, conformal symmetry, and duality
• Naturalness, the autonomy of scales, and the 125 GeV Higgs
• A clockwork theory

Cited In (8)

• Too naturalist and not naturalist enough: Reply to Horsten
• On the Emotional Assumptions without Which One Could Not Effectively Investigate the Laws of Nature
• Origins of parameters in adimensional models
• Doubts for Dawid's non-empirical theory assessment
• Finetuned cancellations and improbable theories
• Physics beyond the multiverse: naturalness and the quest for a fundamental theory
• Dogmas of effective field theory: scheme dependence, fundamental parameters, and the many faces of the Higgs naturalness principle
• QFT without infinities and hierarchy problem

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