You'll probably be happy to know that an effort is being made to investigate the most ephemeral particle in the universe, the neutrino.
As the neutrino people ponder:
"What is the absolute mass scale of neutrinos?
Neutrinos probably are the most fascinating species of elementary particles. The "ghost particle of the Universe" is a key to open issues in science on many scales, linking the microcosm of elementary particles to the largest structures in the Universe."
This is quantum physics, the ultimate in scientific reductionism, the search for reality and truth at the most elementary and smallest levels. As far as we know, all matter is composed of molecules made up of protons, electrons, neutrons and maybe neutrinos and other exotic particles or waves. While it might be interesting to those employed in nuclear physics, what does the study of these incredibly tiny particles actually have to do with our day to day life?
The answer is basically nothing at all. These particles don't become meaningful until they are assembled into larger arrays, minerals, gases, liquids, single-cell organisms, plants and members of the US Congress.
Reductionism was criticized by, among many others, Arthur Koestler, who coined the term holon in his book The Act of Creation to describe the hierarchies of sub-assemblies that make up a holon.
Aquiring real knowledge of the neutrino or even more prominent examples of quantum particles is an intellectual luxury whose expense should not be borne by the uninterested.
No comments:
Post a Comment