On the co-creation of classical and modern physics

Area of Science:

• History and Philosophy of Physics
• Foundations of Modern Physics

Background:

• The historical framing of modern physics often relies on a retrospective understanding of "classical physics."
• Physicists in the late 19th and early 20th centuries did not initially use "classical" in the way it is understood today.

Observation:

• This study empirically traces the evolving usage of the term "classical" within the physics community between the 1890s and 1911.
• Analysis of fin-de-siècle addresses reveals that early attempts to broadly apply the concept of "classical physics" were met with controversy.

Findings:

• The contemporary definition of "classical physics" was largely established through its redefinition by proponents of new theories, particularly relativity and quantum theory.
• Examining how physicists like Boltzmann, Larmor, Poincaré, Einstein, Minkowski, and Planck used "classical" illuminates the relationship between their research and worldview arguments.

Implications:

• Understanding the historical contingency of the "classical" label is crucial for a nuanced view of the development of modern physics.
• This research clarifies how scientific communities construct historical narratives and define foundational concepts retrospectively.