Re: Are EM fields "real," or are they abstract concepts?

[Bob Sciamanda <trebor@VELOCITY.NET>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "William Beaty" <billb@ESKIMO.COM>
To: <PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, January 30, 2001 11:58 PM
Subject: Are EM fields "real," or are they abstract concepts?

> I think the answer is this: fields are a mental model, and flux lines are
> a mental model, and we can't really understand the "real stuff" that's
out
> there.  We can only understand our models of it.  It is impossible to
> avoid mistaking the models for reality, because we can only perceive
> models, never reality itself.

The above notion should be emblazoned on the doorway to every classroom in
every subject.
It would bless not only our understanding but also our tolerance.

Bob Sciamanda (W3NLV)
Physics, Edinboro Univ of PA (em)
trebor@velocity.net
http://www.velocity.net/~trebor