Aesthetic Criteria in Fundamental Physics—The Viewpoint of Plato
I discuss the role of beauty in physics. Physicists are sometimes described as platonists for their conviction that the fundamental laws are elegant and aesthetic arguments represent an important epistemic tool. After a review of the ideas of Plato and some of the leading figures of modern physics,...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Philosophies |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2409-9287/7/5/96 |
| _version_ | 1797225883503689728 |
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| author | Ivan Melo |
| author_facet | Ivan Melo |
| author_sort | Ivan Melo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | I discuss the role of beauty in physics. Physicists are sometimes described as platonists for their conviction that the fundamental laws are elegant and aesthetic arguments represent an important epistemic tool. After a review of the ideas of Plato and some of the leading figures of modern physics, which suggest that this is indeed the case, I present a list of current aesthetic criteria. I focus on symmetry and unity and demonstrate their increasing relevance in an array of experimentally verified theories. I also deal with an open issue of naturalness as the third criterion. The laws of nature appear increasingly beautiful as we uncover them, and it is important to see if the trend continues in the future. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T19:34:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5ac36924d90243c39e83b26be0cee034 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2409-9287 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T14:16:05Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Philosophies |
| spelling | doaj.art-5ac36924d90243c39e83b26be0cee0342024-04-03T08:29:00ZengMDPI AGPhilosophies2409-92872022-08-01759610.3390/philosophies7050096Aesthetic Criteria in Fundamental Physics—The Viewpoint of PlatoIvan Melo0Department of Physics, FEIT, University of Žilina, Univerzitná 1, 010 26 Žilina, SlovakiaI discuss the role of beauty in physics. Physicists are sometimes described as platonists for their conviction that the fundamental laws are elegant and aesthetic arguments represent an important epistemic tool. After a review of the ideas of Plato and some of the leading figures of modern physics, which suggest that this is indeed the case, I present a list of current aesthetic criteria. I focus on symmetry and unity and demonstrate their increasing relevance in an array of experimentally verified theories. I also deal with an open issue of naturalness as the third criterion. The laws of nature appear increasingly beautiful as we uncover them, and it is important to see if the trend continues in the future.https://www.mdpi.com/2409-9287/7/5/96beauty in fundamental lawsaesthetic criteria in physicssymmetryunitynaturalness |
| spellingShingle | Ivan Melo Aesthetic Criteria in Fundamental Physics—The Viewpoint of Plato Philosophies beauty in fundamental laws aesthetic criteria in physics symmetry unity naturalness |
| title | Aesthetic Criteria in Fundamental Physics—The Viewpoint of Plato |
| title_full | Aesthetic Criteria in Fundamental Physics—The Viewpoint of Plato |
| title_fullStr | Aesthetic Criteria in Fundamental Physics—The Viewpoint of Plato |
| title_full_unstemmed | Aesthetic Criteria in Fundamental Physics—The Viewpoint of Plato |
| title_short | Aesthetic Criteria in Fundamental Physics—The Viewpoint of Plato |
| title_sort | aesthetic criteria in fundamental physics the viewpoint of plato |
| topic | beauty in fundamental laws aesthetic criteria in physics symmetry unity naturalness |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2409-9287/7/5/96 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ivanmelo aestheticcriteriainfundamentalphysicstheviewpointofplato |