Pauli Exclusion Principle: Finite Creativity or Philosophy?

[yannick^]

Does the 'Pauli exclusion principle' imply that the universe is only finitely creative? It's rather the philosophy than the physics behind it, I'm interested in. I just wanted to be sure I was interpreting this principle correctly. I thought it meant that there are only a discrete amount of states elementary particles can be in? Thanks!

(p.s. I have little background in physics (do have a degree in mathematics). That's maybe something to take in account when answering.)

 

[diazona]

Not really, it just means that no two fermions (a type of particle, if you didn't know) can be in the same quantum state at the same time. There's nothing wrong with having an infinite number of quantum states, although in any real situation only a few of those states will be occupied with particles.