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Infinite Renormalization

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 April 2022

Paul Teller
Paul Teller*
Affiliation:
Department of Philosophy University of Illinois at Chicago
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Abstract

In quantum field theory divergent expressions are “discarded”, leaving finite expressions which provide the best predictions anywhere in science. In fact, this “renormalization procedure” involves no mystery or illegitimate operations. This paper explains, in terms accessible to non-experts, how the procedure really works and explores some different ways in which physicists have suggested that one understand it.

Type
Research Article
Information
Philosophy of Science , Volume 56 , Issue 2 , June 1989 , pp. 238 - 257
Copyright
Copyright © 1989 by the Philosophy of Science Association

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Footnotes

†

Many have helped me with this work, but I should especially mention the hours that Michael Redhead and Gordon Fleming have spent helping me learn this material. This work has been generously supported by NSF grant #SES-8217092.

References

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