Weingarten, Karla (2025) Understanding Particle Interactions: Feynman Diagrams as Representative Models. British Journal for the Philosophy of Science.
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Abstract
Feynman diagrams are used to calculate scattering amplitudes in quantum field theory, where they simplify the derivation of individual terms in the corresponding perturbation series. Considered mathematical tools with an approximative character, the received view in the philosophy of physics denies that individual diagrams can represent physical processes. A different story, however, can be observed in physics practice. From education to high-profile research publications, Feynman diagrams are used in connection with particle phenomena without any reference to perturbative calculations. In the first part of the paper, I argue that this illuminates an additional use of Feynman diagrams that is not calculatory but representational. It is not a possible translation into mathematical terms that prompts this practice but rather the epistemic insights into the target phenomenon that the diagrams provide. Based on this practical use, I intend to push back against the received view. In the second part of the paper, I conceptualize the representative use of Feynman diagrams as models that provide modal understanding of their associated target phenomena. The set of Feynman diagrams corresponding to an interaction is taken as a possibility space whose dependency relations can be analysed, allowing an agent to grasp possible target behaviour, leading to understanding. In clearly separating the diagrams
from perturbative calculations for their use as a model, the concerns that hinder a representative reading can be resolved.
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| Item Type: | Published Article or Volume | ||||||
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| Subjects: | General Issues > Explanation General Issues > Models and Idealization Specific Sciences > Physics Specific Sciences > Physics > Quantum Field Theory |
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| Depositing User: | Karla Weingarten | ||||||
| Date Deposited: | 26 Jul 2025 13:09 | ||||||
| Last Modified: | 26 Jul 2025 13:09 | ||||||
| Item ID: | 26020 | ||||||
| Journal or Publication Title: | British Journal for the Philosophy of Science | ||||||
| Official URL: | https://doi.org/10.1086/737746 | ||||||
| DOI or Unique Handle: | https://doi.org/10.1086/737746 | ||||||
| Subjects: | General Issues > Explanation General Issues > Models and Idealization Specific Sciences > Physics Specific Sciences > Physics > Quantum Field Theory |
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| Date: | 17 July 2025 | ||||||
| URI: | https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/26020 |
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