What is "fundamental"?
Matt Visser (Victoria University of Wellington)

TL;DR
This paper explores how collective views on what is considered fundamental in science evolve over time, primarily driven by advances in theory and experiment rather than epistemology.
Contribution
It offers a perspective that ontological shifts are mainly influenced by scientific progress, challenging the common assumption that epistemology is the primary driver.
Findings
Ontological views evolve with scientific advances
Theoretical and experimental progress drive changes in fundamental concepts
Epistemology reacts to scientific developments rather than leading them
Abstract
Our collective views regarding the question "what is fundamental?" are continually evolving. These ontological shifts in what we regard as fundamental are largely driven by theoretical advances ("what can we calculate?"), and experimental advances ("what can we measure?"). Rarely (in my view) is epistemology the fundamental driver; more commonly epistemology reacts (after a few decades) to what is going on in the theoretical and experimental zeitgeist.
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Taxonomy
TopicsQuantum Mechanics and Applications · Philosophy and History of Science · Advanced Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics
