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Artificial versus Substantial Gauge Symmetries: A Criterion and an Application to the Electroweak Model

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2022

Jordan François
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Abstract

To systematically answer the generalized Kretschmann objection, I propose a mean to make operational a criterion widely recognized as allowing one to decide whether the gauge symmetry of a theory is artificial or substantial. My proposition is based on the dressing field method of gauge symmetry reduction, a new simple tool from mathematical physics. This general scheme allows one in particular to straightforwardly argue that the notion of spontaneous symmetry breaking is superfluous to the empirical success of the electroweak theory. Important questions regarding the context of justification of the theory then arise.

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Articles
Information
Philosophy of Science , Volume 86 , Issue 3 , July 2019 , pp. 472 - 496
Copyright
Copyright © The Philosophy of Science Association

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Footnotes

*

To contact the author, please write to: Université de Lorraine, CNRS, Institut Élie Cartan de Lorraine, UMR 7502, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, F-54506, France; e-mail: [email protected].

†

This article benefited from the input of two careful reviewers, whose remarks and suggestions helped to clarify and sharpen several of the arguments presented. For this, the author expresses his gratitude.

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