Reductionism, emergence, and effective field theories

DOI10.1016/S1355-2198(02)00003-5zbMATH Open1222.81010arXivphysics/0101039MaRDI QIDQ720485FDOQ720485

Authors: Elena Castellani 

Publication date: 15 October 2011

Published in: Studies in History and Philosophy of Science. Part B. Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: In recent years, a change in attitude in particle physics has led to our understanding current quantum field theories as effective field theories (EFTs). The present paper is concerned with the significance of this EFT approach, especially from the viewpoint of the debate on reductionism in science. In particular, it is a purpose of this paper to clarify how EFTs may provide an interesting case-study in current philosophical discussion on reduction, emergence and inter-level relationships in general.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0101039

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zbMATH Keywords

emergencerenormalizationquantum field theoryreductionismfundamentalityinter-level relations

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

History of mathematics in the 20th century (01A60) History of quantum theory (81-03) Quantum field theory; related classical field theories (81T99)

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Cited In (25)

• Effective theories in physics. From planetary orbits to elementary particle masses.
• Emergence in solid state physics and biology
• Misconceptions on effective field theories and spontaneous symmetry breaking: response to Ellis' article
• The causal closure of physics in real world contexts
• The isotopic field charge spin assumption
• A philosopher looks at string dualities
• Schwinger and the ontology of quantum field theory
• The role of a posteriori mathematics in physics
• Naturalness, Wilsonian renormalization, and ``Fundamental parameters in quantum field theory
• The case of the composite Higgs: the model as a ``Rosetta stone in contemporary high-energy physics
• Can there be a process without time? Processualism within timeless physics
• Effective field theories, reductionism and scientific explanation
• Fundamentality, Effectiveness, and Objectivity of Gauge Symmetries
• On the ontology of QFT
• Philosophy of Particle Physics
• Interpreting quantum gravity
• Emergence, reduction and supervenience: a varied landscape
• Naturalness, the autonomy of scales, and the 125 GeV Higgs
• From dressed electrons to quasiparticles: the emergence of emergent entities in quantum field theory
• Ontological reduction and molecular structure
• Relativities of fundamentality
• On emergence in gauge theories at the 't Hooft limit
• In defence of naiveté: the conceptual status of Lagrangian quantum field theory
• Decoupling emergence and reduction in physics
• Philosophical issues concerning phase transitions and anyons: emergence, reduction, and explanatory fictions

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