Ideas and Thoughts that Underlie Physics

All these talks about foundationalism (Jan. 31 (https://www.meetup.com/The-San-Diego-Philosophers-Roundtable/events/100774672/), Feb. 7 (https://www.meetup.com/The-San-Diego-Philosophers-Roundtable/events/102472562/), Feb. 14 (https://www.meetup.com/The-San-Diego-Philosophers-Roundtable/events/102475162/)), antifoundationalism (Feb. 28 (https://www.meetup.com/The-San-Diego-Philosophers-Roundtable/events/106051042/)), and false foundations (Mar. 28 (https://www.meetup.com/The-San-Diego-Philosophers-Roundtable/events/108461162/)) are fine for contemplation, but is any of it practical in everyday living? This meeting draws from a recent member's feedback.

Instead of starting from a conceptual blank slate and build up knowledge foundationally (or not), Let's start with today's cutting physics of which everyone in one form or another is a beneficiary. Spanning both the small and the big, we will look at particle physics (or quantum mechanics) and cosmological astronomy (or the Big Bang theory). We will examine what abstract ideas and principled thoughts underlie them, and trace them all the way back to philosophy, and maybe all the way back (or not) to some foundation.

Is the task of discovering these ideas and thoughts even possible? Can one make a case for or against there being a structured body of knowledge that underlies today's physics? Attend the meeting to find out.