Defining Absence: The Origin of "Neutrinoless" and How it Obscures the Physics of Matter Creation

TL;DR

This paper critically examines the term 'neutrinoless' in particle physics, arguing it obscures the fundamental physics of matter creation and advocates for a linguistic shift to better reflect the underlying physical concepts.

Contribution

It traces the historical and linguistic origins of 'neutrinoless' and proposes a conceptual redefinition to clarify the physics of matter creation.

Findings

The term 'neutrinoless' originated from a 1953 experiment.

Linguistic shifts have transformed affirmative physics into agnostic shorthand.

Reclaiming 'matter creation' language could clarify physical understanding.

Abstract

The term 'neutrinoless' is a cornerstone of modern particle physics, yet it defines a fundamental process by what is missing rather than what is created. We trace the origins of this privative neologism to a 1953 experimental claim and show how a 'sociology of suspicion' transformed Ettore Majorana's affirmative ontology into an agnostic shorthand. By examining this linguistic shift, we argue that our current terminology may obscure the profound physical meaning of the search. Reclaiming the language of 'matter creation' is not merely a semantic choice, but a timely conceptual shift to bridge the gap between experimental caution and the radical character of the laws of nature we aim to uncover.