Is the zero-point energy real?

Abstract

I consider the arguments to show that the vacuum energy density should receive a large contribution from the zero-point energy. This is the cosmological constant problem, as it was originally framed. I suggest that the matter is interpretation-dependent, and that on certain approaches to foundations, notably Everett's, the problem is a formal one, rather than one based on physical principles.

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Citations of this work

Philosophy of Cosmology.Chris Smeenk - 2013 - In Robert Batterman (ed.), Oxford Handbook of Philosophy of Physics. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 607-652.
Probability in the Everett interpretation.Hilary Greaves - 2007 - Philosophy Compass 2 (1):109–128.
Quantum gravity at low energies.David Wallace - 2022 - Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part A 94 (C):31-46.
Naturalness and Emergence.David Wallace - 2019 - The Monist 102 (4):499-524.
Problems with the cosmological constant problem.Adam Koberinski - 2021 - In Christian Wüthrich, Baptiste Le Bihan & Nick Huggett (eds.), Philosophy Beyond Spacetime. Oxford University Press.

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References found in this work

How to teach special relativity.John S. Bell - 1976 - Progress in Scientific Culture 1.
The negative energy sea.Simon Saunders - 1991 - In Simon Saunders & Harvey R. Brown (eds.), The Philosophy of Vacuum. Oxford University Press.
Locality, Complex Numbers, and Relativistic Quantum Theory.Simon W. Saunders - 1992 - PSA: Proceedings of the Biennial Meeting of the Philosophy of Science Association 1992:365 - 380.
The Casimir Effect and the Interpretation of the Vacuum.S. E. Rugh, H. Zinkernagel & T. Y. Cao - 1999 - Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics 30 (1):111-139.
The Casimir Effect and the Interpretation of the Vacuum.S. Rugh, H. Zinkernagel & T. Cao - 1998 - Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics 30 (1):111-139.

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