Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part A
Symmetry arguments in physics
Section snippets
Beauty is symmetry
A snowflake is a thing of beauty. It is also a thing of symmetry. Each spoke displays a mirror reflection along its radial axis, and the whole crystal shows rotational symmetry by repeating the design exactly six times in one complete turn. Perhaps the beauty we feel is rooted in the geometric symmetry of structure.
The link between beauty and symmetry does indeed exist in physics, and it is safe to say that beauty essentially means symmetry in that context. The theoretical description of
Substantive symmetry arguments
A symmetry is an invariance under some operation of change. How is a symmetry, a specific symmetry, used as an epistemic tool? That is, how can a criterion of symmetry be used to direct theorizing in the general direction of the truth? Of course, it will not be fool-proof, but perhaps it can better the odds.
Bas van Fraassen (1989, p.242) distinguishes between substantive symmetry arguments and `symmetry arguments proper'. It is the former, the substantive arguments, that are of more
Conclusion
The case of gauge symmetry is similar to that of the principle of relativity. Together they point to general conclusions about substantive symmetry arguments in physics. These arguments make no assumptions or inferences about symmetry in general. They are always about some specific symmetry or other. Furthermore, these arguments do not simply assume that the specific symmetry is a fact of nature, and then use it as a standard for judging theories. They begin with observation.
Sunny Auyang (1995,
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Desperately Seeking Superstrings?
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