Is the Higgs field in its present form phlogiston-like?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the validity of the Higgs field and the Higgs mechanism, drawing parallels to the historical concept of phlogiston, which was later disproven. Participants debate whether the current understanding of the Higgs field, characterized by its Mexican hat potential, could be fundamentally flawed while still yielding accurate experimental results. The consensus leans towards the notion that, despite potential inaccuracies, the existence of a scalar particle remains essential in nature, as evidenced by the discovery of the Higgs boson. The conversation also touches on the implications of spontaneous symmetry breaking and the role of the Higgs field within the Standard Model.

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  • Familiarity with the Higgs mechanism and its implications
  • Knowledge of spontaneous symmetry breaking in quantum field theory
  • Basic concepts of scalar particles and their significance in physics
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Prishon
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Phlogiston lead to the discovery of oxygen but was later on proven to be imaginary. Can the same be said of the quite strange Higgs field and Higgs mechanism following from the strange Mexican hat potential? Is that potential just imaginary? It lead to the discovery of the eponimous particle, true. But what about the Higgs field (in its present form) and the Higgs mechanism?
 
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Could we think we're right but actually be wrong, with the correct theory - which nobody has even imagined yet - reproducing all the results of the present incorrect theory?

I guess.
 
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Vanadium 50 said:
Could we think we're right but actually be wrong, with the correct theory - which nobody has even imagined yet - reproducing all the results of the present incorrect theory?

I guess.
In this case I think not. If you consider the "normal" Higgs field (with normal potential energy values for all field configurations) as real there will not result the non-existing Higgs mechanism. It will lead to different interpretations of the Higgs particles and quarks/leptons (and possibly W/Z particles). But history went differently.
 
Vanadium 50 said:
Could we think we're right but actually be wrong, with the correct theory - which nobody has even imagined yet - reproducing all the results of the present incorrect theory?

I guess.
Including solving the non-unitarity of collissions including W-bosons by the degrees of of freedom left in the Higgs field after the spontaneous symmetry breaking in the guise of a scalar particle.

So even if the Higgs mechanism is wrong, Nature still demands a scalar particle.
 
Prishon said:
Phlogiston lead to the discovery of oxygen but was later on proven to be imaginary. Can the same be said of the quite strange Higgs field...
According to which criteria is this "strange"? Why would Nature care about the notion of strangeness of some apes who evolved mainly to eat, beat and reproduce?
 
Besides, since Higgs boson has been experimentally found, and Higgs field and Higgs mechanism in its present form are considered to be a part of the Standard Model, not some "beyond" models, shouldn't this thread be moved to another subforum?
 
weirdoguy said:
shouldn't this thread be moved to another subforum?

This thread should be closed. The OP doesn't like a minus sign in the Lagrangian. I don't like Brussels sprouts.
 
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