2933: Elementary Physics Paths

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Elementary Physics Paths

Title text: ==COSMOLOGY==> 'Uhhh ... how sure are we that everything is made of these?'

Explanation

This explanation may be incomplete or incorrect: Created by a VERY NOT SIMPLE PARTICLE - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon. If you can address this issue, please edit the page! Thanks.

The absurdity of understanding everything starting from just understanding basic particles is similar to the fallacy presented in 1570: Engineer Syllogism. Quantum physics, as shown in the comic, makes what on first glance are “simple” particles very complicated.

The concepts of reductionism and then antireductionism (or holism) are demonstrated by following the left causal path using a 'traditional' physical approach. Following the right causal path, which looks at things in terms of quantum effects, just leads to the conclusion that it is an intrinsically irreducable problem.

The title text creates an ASCII depiction of the arrows used in the comic image and alludes to the uncertainty that we even know enough about what everything that exists actually is.

Transcript

[Cueball gestures at a particle, represented as a dot with motion lines around it.]

Cueball: Everything is made of tiny particles. If I understand those, I'll understand everything!

[The comic splits into two branches.]

[Condensed Matter Physics branch]

[Cueball is fretting over a cloud of particles.]

Cueball: Oh no.

Cueball: Simple particles can combine to produce complex behaviors.

[Quantum Field Theory branch]

[Cueball is fretting over the same particle as in the first panel.]

Cueball: Oh no.

Cueball: These particles aren't simple!

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Discussion

First comment, heh. Psychoticpotato (talk) 20:27, 15 May 2024 (UTC)