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I am reading WHAT IS A QUANTUM FIELD THEORY?" A First Introduction for Mathematicians.
The author states (2.4 Finite versus Continuous Models) that the use of continuity causes the infinities in QFT:
'Mathematicians are trained to think of physical space as R3. But our continuous model of
physical space as R3 is of course an idealization, both at the scale of the very large and
at the scale of the very small. This idealization has proved to be very powerful, but in the
case of Quantum Field Theory, it creates multiple problems, and in particular the infamous
infinities (in the form of diverging integrals).'
I think that, based on what I have read, it is a likely cause, but has it been proven?
It is not an issue in EFT because a cutoff is used to get finite answers. Could a cutoff be looked at as approximating a lattice model?
Thanks
Bill
The author states (2.4 Finite versus Continuous Models) that the use of continuity causes the infinities in QFT:
'Mathematicians are trained to think of physical space as R3. But our continuous model of
physical space as R3 is of course an idealization, both at the scale of the very large and
at the scale of the very small. This idealization has proved to be very powerful, but in the
case of Quantum Field Theory, it creates multiple problems, and in particular the infamous
infinities (in the form of diverging integrals).'
I think that, based on what I have read, it is a likely cause, but has it been proven?
It is not an issue in EFT because a cutoff is used to get finite answers. Could a cutoff be looked at as approximating a lattice model?
Thanks
Bill
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