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M. Svrˇ cek
drawings of possible mechanisms along with long causal chains. One can interminably ask what is behind the specification of the first link of the chain and what is
its own cause. Such drawings remind us of medieval designs for the construction of
a perpetuum mobile.
However, the problem of so-called teleological phenomena is quite different. Its
characteristics are not ad hoc only for the Meissner effect and superconductivity. As
we will demonstrate in the next section, it has played an enormous role in understanding the electroweak and the strong interactions, and, as we have mentioned in
Sect. 5, it also concerns Universal Darwinism. From here it has inspired quantum
decoherence and, as outlined in Sect. 6, contributed to the elucidation of our decisions in the problem of free will. Phrased differently, in the Meissner effect we have
encountered a teleological principle, which exceeds the domains of superconductivity and solid state physics in general and, in an astonishing way, reaches three major
provinces of the world; inanimate nature, animate nature, and psychology.
10 The Paradox of Higgs’ Boson
As we have seen the teleological principle has not been acknowledged as a compelling
argument for the understanding of the phenomenon of superconductivity, which led
the scientific community to accepting causal quantum-physical explanations such
as the BCS theory. This did impact the construction of elementary particle mechanisms, which, to a high degree, were inspired by the BCS theory of superconductivity.
The most famous example is the celebrated Higgs mechanism, incorporated in the
Standard model, with the aim to explain how particles in the electro-weak interaction gain their mass. Since teleological phenomena violate Bohr’s principle of
correspondence, it is not surprising, when Comay [88], after a careful analysis of
Higgs equations, came to the conclusion that they violate the Bohr principle as well.
Comay’s analysis is based on well-known cornerstones such as the variational principle, special relativity, Maxwellian electrodynamics and the fundamental elements
of quantum field theory. Additionally, Comay insists on the necessity to test every
quantum-physical equation, according to a wider sense of Bohr’s correspondence
principle, stated by the present version of Wikipedia as: “The term is also used more
generally, to represent the idea that a new theory should reproduce the results of older
well-established theories (which become limiting cases) in those domains where the
old theories work.”
Three basic testings of the quantum-physical equations are mentioned, i.e. the
equation for the action
S =
L(ψ, ψ ,μ ) d
4 x
(10.1)
the Euler-Lagrange equation of the Lagrangian density L
M. Svrˇ cek
drawings of possible mechanisms along with long causal chains. One can interminably ask what is behind the specification of the first link of the chain and what is
its own cause. Such drawings remind us of medieval designs for the construction of
a perpetuum mobile.
However, the problem of so-called teleological phenomena is quite different. Its
characteristics are not ad hoc only for the Meissner effect and superconductivity. As
we will demonstrate in the next section, it has played an enormous role in understanding the electroweak and the strong interactions, and, as we have mentioned in
Sect. 5, it also concerns Universal Darwinism. From here it has inspired quantum
decoherence and, as outlined in Sect. 6, contributed to the elucidation of our decisions in the problem of free will. Phrased differently, in the Meissner effect we have
encountered a teleological principle, which exceeds the domains of superconductivity and solid state physics in general and, in an astonishing way, reaches three major
provinces of the world; inanimate nature, animate nature, and psychology.
10 The Paradox of Higgs’ Boson
As we have seen the teleological principle has not been acknowledged as a compelling
argument for the understanding of the phenomenon of superconductivity, which led
the scientific community to accepting causal quantum-physical explanations such
as the BCS theory. This did impact the construction of elementary particle mechanisms, which, to a high degree, were inspired by the BCS theory of superconductivity.
The most famous example is the celebrated Higgs mechanism, incorporated in the
Standard model, with the aim to explain how particles in the electro-weak interaction gain their mass. Since teleological phenomena violate Bohr’s principle of
correspondence, it is not surprising, when Comay [88], after a careful analysis of
Higgs equations, came to the conclusion that they violate the Bohr principle as well.
Comay’s analysis is based on well-known cornerstones such as the variational principle, special relativity, Maxwellian electrodynamics and the fundamental elements
of quantum field theory. Additionally, Comay insists on the necessity to test every
quantum-physical equation, according to a wider sense of Bohr’s correspondence
principle, stated by the present version of Wikipedia as: “The term is also used more
generally, to represent the idea that a new theory should reproduce the results of older
well-established theories (which become limiting cases) in those domains where the
old theories work.”
Three basic testings of the quantum-physical equations are mentioned, i.e. the
equation for the action
S =
L(ψ, ψ ,μ ) d
4 x
(10.1)
the Euler-Lagrange equation of the Lagrangian density L