Sunday morning with Robert Wilson

[Doug Mounce]

This reminded me of something David (our resident mathematician) might say . . .

"So many of the fundamental questions then appear in quite a different light. They are not questions of fact, they are questions of attitude. Why is the symmetry of the weak force broken, and the symmetry of electromagnetism and the strong force unbroken? Because that was the attitude of the people who built the theory. Why do the massless bosons split as 1+8 and not 3+6? Because that was the attitude of the people who built the theory. Because that was what they decided to do. It is not a question of one being right and the other wrong – both of them are wrong, obviously. It is all a matter of attitude, of putting things in boxes and labelling them. The fact that the standard model is such a mess is a clear sign that lots of the facts have been put in the wrong boxes.

"So the only way to sort out the mess is by a change of attitude. Which is why it is so difficult"

~/

https://staff.washington.edu/mounce/

[PIERRE WHALON]

Absolutely! Thanks Doug.

Pierre

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[David Bibby]

Dear Doug,

I'd also be interested in what our resident mathematician has to say; but from my perspective, this is the correct diagnosis, but the wrong solution.

The diagnosis is that the standard model is what it is because of the attitude of those who constructed the theory. Scientific theories are not models of the truth, but verified hypotheses that are constructed to fit the facts. In the absence of a grand unified theory (GUT), the theories will inevitably be piecemeal that individually each explain some of the facts, but due to their limited range of applicability are due to be revised indefinitely each time a better theory comes along. The seeming arbitrary division of symmetry by different theories is simply a consequence of there not being one size that fits all. There are different attitudes, or perspectives, to be adopted for each issue.

The offered solution (of saying they are all wrong, "facts have been put in the wrong boxes") does not address the root cause, and is itself a mistaken attitude. Scientific theories are not right or wrong. They are limited, partial, explanations of an exceedingly complex object, the empirical universe. What is needed is not refutation, but sublation of these scientific theories into a higher viewpoint that includes the ψ_subject as a transcendental arbiter of truth. That is, it puts the truth into our own hands by acknowledging the validity of our conscious experience, and inviting us to a deeper appreciation of the intelligible connections in society, in nature, in the cosmos. 

So yes to a change of attitude, but it must begin not by blaming everything around us, but by an introspective turn, within ourselves.

Kind regards,

David

For those interested - Prof Wilson's original article: https://robwilson1.wordpress.com/2026/03/28/gauge-bosons-2/

[PIERRE WHALON]

Doug,

Sublation into a higher viewpoint is exactly what’s needed in the long run, and we can only do it together, validating our conscious experiences.

And that always has to start with me. Then us.

Pierre

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