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Physics...
The remainder of this survey was motivated by the
following two realizations:
- While seductive on the basis of their generative consequences, none of the
fundamental physical principles are set in stone. On occasion, as in the early
formulation of quantum physics and relativity, history has shown that the
adoption of alternate principles was critical to the ordering of overly complex
theories. From the work of Kuhn, we know that scientific revolutions of this
type are always resisted.
- Constraints on the behavior of complex macroscopic systems are based upon
extrapolation from the behavior of microscopic particles subject to rules that
are poorly understood and potentially misapplied.
What follows is a technical overview that seeks to
identify the opportunities, in current physical theory, for a reformulation of
the fundamental principles. I characterize it as a search for unexamined
assumptions in the formulation of physical law.
The main points are summarized afterwards. The
general reader may wish to proceed directly to the
summary
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