Are physical quantites, such as mass, invented?

Use this forum to discuss the philosophy of science. Philosophy of science deals with the assumptions, foundations, and implications of science.
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Pantagruel
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Re: Are physical quantites, such as mass, invented?

Post by Pantagruel »

Greta wrote: January 13th, 2020, 9:32 pm A very freaky aspect of reality! Quarks are extraordinary. Nothing outside of a black hole or perhaps the centre of a neutron star is more dense. I think of them as particulated remnants of the universe's primal state. But threes! Why do they only ever collect as trios?

My knowledge of physics is tiny but my understanding was that mass is the result of interactions with the Higgs field.
This is not particle mass. Quantum chromodynamic binding energy is a massively high quantity of energy that is massive because of mass-energy equivalence. So yes, that is freaky. Most of matter is actually energy.
Steve3007
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Re: Are physical quantites, such as mass, invented?

Post by Steve3007 »

Pantagruel wrote:So yes, that is freaky. Most of matter is actually energy.
Perhaps the interesting question is why we would consider this to be freaky? Since mass and energy are both terms in equations, with one of those equations giving a very simple conversion rate between their units, why would it matter any more than the question of whether we measure distances in centimetres or inches? I guess it's because of the mental image we associate with the words "mass" and "energy".
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Sy Borg
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Re: Are physical quantites, such as mass, invented?

Post by Sy Borg »

For me, the density and intensity of quarks is freaky. These (and many other tiny things) are part of us, yet utterly alien to us.
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Pantagruel
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Re: Are physical quantites, such as mass, invented?

Post by Pantagruel »

Steve3007 wrote: January 14th, 2020, 7:24 am
Pantagruel wrote:So yes, that is freaky. Most of matter is actually energy.
Perhaps the interesting question is why we would consider this to be freaky? Since mass and energy are both terms in equations, with one of those equations giving a very simple conversion rate between their units, why would it matter any more than the question of whether we measure distances in centimetres or inches? I guess it's because of the mental image we associate with the words "mass" and "energy".
Mostly because it violates our common-sense intuitions about substantiality at even the most abstract level. Confinement is intriguing. So are top-quarks. I'm definitely on a physics bent these days.
Steve3007
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Re: Are physical quantites, such as mass, invented?

Post by Steve3007 »

Pantagruel wrote:I'm definitely on a physics bent these days.
Great. Have fun. Post anything that you learn that you think has interesting philosophical implications.

If I were you, though, I'd make sure I keep it grounded as much as possible in classical physics. Try to be reasonably sure of the classical foundations, based on the more everyday experiments, on which more advanced subjects like GR, SR and QM and QCD are built.

One of the most common pieces of nonsense spouted in this forum, by numerous past and present posters, is that modern physics is illogical garbage and physicists are unquestioningly worshipping the great God of Science. This misconception seems to me to stem largely from ignorance of how the subject is built from the ground up.

If you imagine knowledge, metaphorically, as a building, with each storey resting on the floor below, then clearly you have to build the foundations and the lower floors before building the roof. You can't have a floating roof! Some people who enter the subject with no knowledge of those foundations and lower storeys, but a smattering of the more advanced stuff, sometimes point to the roof and falsely claim that it's floating in mid-air with nothing to support it. Naturally they mock the idea of a levitating roof with no visible means of support! But that's just because they can't be bothered to put in the groundwork.

Anyway, sorry if all this is obvious. Just my view.
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