Feynman's space-time view in quantum electrodynamics. (June 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Forgione, Marco
• Is Part Of: Studies in history and philosophy of science. Volume 93(2022)
• Page Start: 136
• Page End: 148
• Publication Date: 2022-06
• Subjects: Feynman -- Theory of positron -- Feynman diagrams -- Specetime view -- Absorber theory of radiation -- Quantum electrodynamics -- History and philosophy of science; Science -- History -- Periodicals; Science -- Philosophy -- Periodicals; 509
• DOI: 10.1016/j.shpsa.2022.03.006
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0039-3681

Abstract

Abstract: The present paper offers a reconstruction of what Feynman calls: "the overall spacetime view". To provide some background, I will rehearse Feynman's works on the absorber theory of radiation and on path integrals to emphasize the rejection of the so-called "customary view". Afterward, I will argue that Feynman's doctoral thesis was instrumental in developing the idea of enclosing a given quantum system into a spacetime boundary. This will be later applied to the path integral formulation and will play a substantial role in the use of asymptotic states in the theory of positron. It is in this latter work that Feynman uses the expression: "overall spacetime view", referring to the necessity of looking at all the possible quantum phenomena happening within the spacetime boundary. In the last part of the paper, I analyze how such a view applies to Feynman's work on quantum electrodynamics and Feynman diagrams.