From dressed electrons to quasiparticles: the emergence of emergent entities in quantum field theory

Alexander S. Blum; Christian Joas

doi:10.1016/j.shpsb.2015.10.005

From dressed electrons to quasiparticles: the emergence of emergent entities in quantum field theory

Alexander S. Blum, Christian Joas^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

History and Philosophy of Science and Science Studies

3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In the 1970s, the reinterpretation of renormalization group techniques in terms of effective field theories and their subsequent rapid development led to a major reinterpretation of the entire renormalization program, originally formulated in the late 1940s within quantum electrodynamics (QED). A more gradual shift in its interpretation, however, occurred already in the early-to-mid-1950s when renormalization techniques were transferred to solid-state and nuclear physics and helped establish the notion of effective or quasi-particles, emergent entities that are not to be found in the original, microscopic description of the theory. We study how the methods of QED, when applied in different contexts, gave rise to this ontological reinterpretation.

Original language	English
Journal	Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics
Volume	53
Pages (from-to)	1-8
Number of pages	8
ISSN	1355-2198
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.shpsb.2015.10.005
Publication status	Published - Feb 2016

Keywords

Emergence
History of physics
Many-body physics
Quantum electrodynamics
Reduction
Renormalization

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10.1016/j.shpsb.2015.10.005

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abstract = "In the 1970s, the reinterpretation of renormalization group techniques in terms of effective field theories and their subsequent rapid development led to a major reinterpretation of the entire renormalization program, originally formulated in the late 1940s within quantum electrodynamics (QED). A more gradual shift in its interpretation, however, occurred already in the early-to-mid-1950s when renormalization techniques were transferred to solid-state and nuclear physics and helped establish the notion of effective or quasi-particles, emergent entities that are not to be found in the original, microscopic description of the theory. We study how the methods of QED, when applied in different contexts, gave rise to this ontological reinterpretation.",

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AU - Joas, Christian

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N2 - In the 1970s, the reinterpretation of renormalization group techniques in terms of effective field theories and their subsequent rapid development led to a major reinterpretation of the entire renormalization program, originally formulated in the late 1940s within quantum electrodynamics (QED). A more gradual shift in its interpretation, however, occurred already in the early-to-mid-1950s when renormalization techniques were transferred to solid-state and nuclear physics and helped establish the notion of effective or quasi-particles, emergent entities that are not to be found in the original, microscopic description of the theory. We study how the methods of QED, when applied in different contexts, gave rise to this ontological reinterpretation.

AB - In the 1970s, the reinterpretation of renormalization group techniques in terms of effective field theories and their subsequent rapid development led to a major reinterpretation of the entire renormalization program, originally formulated in the late 1940s within quantum electrodynamics (QED). A more gradual shift in its interpretation, however, occurred already in the early-to-mid-1950s when renormalization techniques were transferred to solid-state and nuclear physics and helped establish the notion of effective or quasi-particles, emergent entities that are not to be found in the original, microscopic description of the theory. We study how the methods of QED, when applied in different contexts, gave rise to this ontological reinterpretation.

KW - Emergence

KW - History of physics

KW - Many-body physics

KW - Quantum electrodynamics

KW - Reduction

KW - Renormalization

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JO - Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics

JF - Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics

ER -

From dressed electrons to quasiparticles: the emergence of emergent entities in quantum field theory

Abstract

Keywords

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