The Quantum Field Theory on Which the Everyday World Supervenes
- Creators
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Carroll, Sean M.
Abstract
Effective Field Theory (EFT) is the successful paradigm underlying modern theoretical physics, including the "Core Theory" of the Standard Model of particle physics plus Einstein's general relativity. I will argue that EFT grants us a unique insight: each EFT model comes with a built-in specification of its domain of applicability. Hence, once a model is tested within some domain (of energies and interaction strengths), we can be confident that it will continue to be accurate within that domain. Currently, the Core Theory has been tested in regimes that include all of the energy scales relevant to the physics of everyday life (biology, chemistry, technology, etc.). Therefore, we have reason to be confident that the laws of physics underlying the phenomena of everyday life are completely known.
Additional Information
It is a pleasure to thank Jenann Ismael, Ira Rothstein, Charles Sebens, and Mark Wise for helpful comments on a draft version of this manuscript. This research is funded in part by the Walter Burke Institute for Theoretical Physics at Caltech, by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of High Energy Physics, under Award Number DE-SC0011632, and by the Foundational Questions Institute.Attached Files
Submitted - 2101.07884.pdf
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Additional details
- Eprint ID
- 107650
- Resolver ID
- CaltechAUTHORS:20210122-075332117
- DE-SC0011632
- Department of Energy (DOE)
- Foundational Questions Institute (FQXI)
- Created
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2021-01-22Created from EPrint's datestamp field
- Updated
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2023-06-02Created from EPrint's last_modified field
- Caltech groups
- Walter Burke Institute for Theoretical Physics
- Other Numbering System Name
- CALT-TH
- Other Numbering System Identifier
- 2021-005