XPost: sci.physics.relativity, sci.math   
   From: nospam@de-ster.demon.nl   
      
   William Hyde  wrote:   
      
   > J. J. Lodder wrote:   
   > > Aether Regained  wrote:   
   > >   
   > >> Bertietaylor:> On Sat, 5 Jul 2025 19:43:23 +0000, Stefan Ram wrote:   
   > >>>   
   > >>>> Aether Regained  wrote or quoted:   
   > >>>> |                                                              The   
   > >>>> |evidence for the positron is a lot stronger than the evidence for say   
   > >>>> |quarks.   
   > >>>   
   > >>> There is plenty of evidence for Harry Potter and his broomstick.   
   > >>   
   > >> Physical evidence is of course primary, and the evidence from cloud   
   > >> chamber tracks (under magnetic fields) is solid.   
   > >>   
   > >> Still I like this philosophical argument probably due to Dirac or   
   > >> Feynman (paraphrased):   
   > >>   
   > >> It is extremely remarkable that the electron and the proton are so   
   > >> unlike each other, and yet have EXACTLY EQUAL (and opposite) charge. The   
   > >> positron on the other hand, having the same mass as the electron, is not   
   > >> as much of a miracle as the proton. It would not be very surprising if   
   > >> the exactly equal charge of the proton is really derived from an   
   > >> embedded positron.   
   > >   
   > > Nonsense.   
   > > The quarks and electrons get their charges   
   > > from a common underlying gauge symmetry,   
   >   
   > Yes, but the above quote, if it is accurate, is probably a reflection of   
   > Wheeler's 1930s attempts to show that all particles are some combination   
   > of electrons, positrons, and photons.  From his biography I get the   
   > impression that he regarded the idea as somewhat whimsical, but worth a try.   
      
   Already quite out of date by then.   
   The zero-point and spin objections were well understood.   
   FYA, in the last book on nuclear structure   
   by the always practical joking Gamow   
   all sections on electrons in the nucleus   
   are marked with the pirate skull and crossbones symbol,   
   for the readers discouragement.   
      
   > Wheeler liked to try out extreme positions.  In the 1930s he hoped to   
   > describe the universe as a group of particles without fields, later as a   
   > group of fields without particles.   
      
   Even better, with Feynman: there is only one electron.   
   (but it is very busy)   
   All the time going forward in time as an electron,   
   and coming back, backwards in time, as a positron,   
      
   Jan   
      
      
      
      
   > As you know well, but others may not, the brief summaries I give of   
   > Wheeler's ideas above are at best a vast oversimplification.   
   >   
   > William Hyde   
      
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