Chronology Current Month Current Thread Current Date
[Year List] [Month List (current year)] [Date Index] [Thread Index] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Date Prev] [Date Next]

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



"In the beginning, the field concept was no more than a means of
facilitating the understanding of phenomena rom the mechanical point of
view. In the new fiel d language it is the description of the field between
the two charges, and not the charges themselves, which is essential for an
understanding of their action. The recognition of the new concepts grew
steadily, until siubstance was overshadowed by the field. It was realized
that something of great importance had happened in physics. A new reality
was created, a new concept for which there was no place in the mechanical
description. Slowly and by a struggle the field concept established for
itself a leading place in physics and has remained one of the basic physical
concepts. The electromagnetic field is, for the modern physicist, as real as
the chair on which he sits." (Einstein on 'The Evolution of Physics")

Thank you Bill. An excellent bit on philosophy of
science and philosophy of language simultaneously. I
hold that the field is just as real as any macroscopic
object and probably as real as any microscopic object
as well. This reminds me of something Einstein wrote,
I think in _Ideas and Opinions_ but its been to long
to say for sure. He discussed the idea that it might
be appropriate to say that the presence of mass curves
space-time or that mass simply is a curvature of
space-time. I only know GR in the most lay terms, but
the idea intrigued me.

Zach Wolff