Gauge Theory and the Geometrisation of Physics

This Element is broadly about the geometrization of physics, but mostly it is about gauge theories. The over-arching question this Element aims to answer is: why is descriptive redundancy fruitful for physics? It provides three inter-related answers: pragmatic, or methodological; based on geometrical considerations, and broadly relational.

List of contents

1. Introduction; 2. Why gauge? A Noether, methodological reason; 3. Gauge theory and the geometry of fiber bundles; 4. Why gauge? a geometrical reason; 5. The Aharonov-Bohm effect, non-locality, and non-separability; References.

Summary

This Element is broadly about the geometrization of physics, but mostly it is about gauge theories. The over-arching question this Element aims to answer is: why is descriptive redundancy fruitful for physics? It provides three inter-related answers: pragmatic, or methodological; based on geometrical considerations, and broadly relational.

Product details

• Authors: Henrique De Andrade Gomes, Henrique De Andrade (University of Oxford) Gomes
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press ELT
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 31.01.2025
• EAN: 9781009548113
• ISBN: 978-1-0-0954811-3
• No. of pages: 84
• Series: Elements in the Philosophy of Physics
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Philosophy; Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Philosophy: general, reference works; PHILOSOPHY / General, Philosophy, Philosophy of Science, geometry, Philosophy: metaphysics and ontology, Particle and high-energy physics