Abstract
It is not possible to dismiss the atomistic paradigm because the proposed elementary particles are too many (and, hence, it is claimed, they do not provide a simple account of nature) or because it is not possible to observe quarks in an isolated manner. The developments in particle physics have brought about radical changes to our notions of simplicity and observability, and in this paper we elaborate on these changes. It is as a result of these changes that the present situation in elementary particle physics justify us to claim that we have indeed reached a level of explanation where the constituent particles (quarks, leptons, gluons, and intermediate bosons) used for the explanation of the various phenomena considered to be delineating a particular level in the descriptive framework of the physical phenomena and a specific stratum in the organization of nature, can be regarded as elementary.
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I wish to thank Prof. S. S. Schweber for his many helpful comments.
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Gavroglu, K. Simplicity and observability: When are particles elementary?. Synthese 79, 543–557 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00869286
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00869286