Gomes, Henrique, Roberts, Bryan W. ORCID: 0000-0003-0548-1280 and Butterfield, Jeremy (2022) The gauge argument: a Noether reason. In: Read, James and Teh, Nicholas J., (eds.) The Philosophy and Physics of Noether’s Theorems: A Centenary Volume. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 354 - 376. ISBN 9781108486231
Full text not available from this repository.Abstract
Why is gauge symmetry so important in modern physics, given that one must eliminate it when interpreting what the theory represents? This chapter offers a discussion of the sense in which gauge symmetry can be fruitfully applied to constrain the space of possible dynamical models in such a way that forces and charges are appropriately coupled. It reviews the most well-known application of this kind, known as the ‘gauge argument’ or ‘gauge principle’; discusses its difficulties, and then reconstructs the gauge argument as a valid theorem in quantum theory. The chapter then presents what the authors take to be a better and more general gauge argument, based on Noether’s second theorem in classical Lagrangian field theory, and argues that this provides a more appropriate framework for understanding how gauge symmetry helps to constrain the dynamics of physical theories.
Item Type: | Book Section |
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Official URL: | https://www.cambridge.org/gb/universitypress/subje... |
Additional Information: | © 2022 Cambridge University Press & Assessment |
Divisions: | Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method |
Subjects: | B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > B Philosophy (General) |
Date Deposited: | 27 Aug 2024 16:03 |
Last Modified: | 08 Oct 2024 18:51 |
URI: | http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/124685 |
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