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Effective Theories and Infinite Idealizations: A Challenge for Scientific Realism
1 : Columbia University [New York]
Short abstract:
Despite the increasing importance of effective field theories in modern physics, the general notion of effective theory has received little attention. This is unfortunate because, as Hartmann (2001) suggests, effective theories do not seem to reduce to either phenomenological models or proviso-free theories. They even appear to offer the best of both worlds. After clarifying the minimal structure and the standard interpretation of effective theories, I argue in this talk that effective theories entail that infinite idealizations in physics are not even close to being accurate. I conclude by suggesting that this poses a serious challenge for scientific realism.
