The Role and Risks of Assumptions in Physical Science Modelling

This book questions the extent to which some physical scientists may have unintentionally misused the English language to varying degrees, in arriving at theories that are presented to the world as being statements of fact about the universe. The book focuses primarily on large- and small-scale extremes i.e. cosmological theories and quantum theories. It deals with the core concepts of ‘time’ and ‘space’ as they are presented in the theories under consideration. As a demonstration of the sensitivity of the outcome of physical modelling to the assumptions made, the book presents an alternative cosmological model based on some altered physical assumptions that see the much-vaunted inconsistency between General Relativity and Quantum Field Theory, disappear.

Author Biography

The author is an academic and practising lawyer in Australia. He has had a prior life and long-term interest in theoretical physics, astronomy, maths and philosophy. As a lawyer, the author daily deals with the difficulties and nuances of the English language. He sees similar difficulties arising in the scientific literature in which he is interested, particularly in the form of assumptions, approximations and logical fallacies of different kinds that both infect and affect some of the relevant scientific literature. This book is an attempt to translate his experiences gained through a life in law to these relevant areas of science and to do so by reference to many specific examples.