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  When DID Modern Physics Begin?

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When DID Modern Physics Begin?

asked Mar 25, 2022 in Chat by MBOXconversion (0 points) [ revision history ]
recategorized Mar 28, 2022 by Arnold Neumaier

2 Answers

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It's not like there were trumpets sounding the arrival of modern physics. I don't think there is a unique answer to this question. I'm not even sure there is really a crystal clear definition of what modern physics is.

If we take modern physics to be "quantum mechanics + special relativity + statistical mechanics," then an arbitrary line in the sand could be 1905, Einstein's [*annum mirabilis*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annus_mirabilis_papers), when he published ground breaking papers on quantum mechanics, special relativity, and statistical mechanics. Of course, these previous papers built on developments in quantum mechanics, special relativity, and statistical mechanics, (at least, early versions of those subjects), so there is plenty of room to argue for a different date. 

answered Mar 27, 2022 by Andrew [ revision history ]
edited Mar 27, 2022
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I would say - it begins from "axiomatization" of "fundamenal" principles, like principle of least action, i.e., when mathematical "features" were accepted as "guiding" rules. Then inequalities (like $d_{1,2}\ll R_{1,2}$ in the Newton mechanics $F\propto 1/R_{1,2}$) limiting the physical laws regions were forgotten and inevitably wrong solutions (not the wrong equations !) were "doctored" by replacing the wrong resulst with more correct ones.

answered Mar 27, 2022 by Vladimir Kalitvianski (102 points) [ revision history ]
edited Mar 27, 2022 by Vladimir Kalitvianski

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