Steven Weinberg on Symmetry Principles in Physics
Steven Weinberg explains how physical laws can be deduced from symmetry principles, such as how, due to Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity, the difference in symmetry between a rotating and non-rotating frame of reference generates a gravitational field that we recognize as the centrifugal force.
This verified Mach’s Principle of an interaction of mass which is not self generating and that, in Einstein’s view, the metric tensor of spacetime has inertia which influences inertia of massive objects.
These simple thoughts show that General Relativity does not only govern how masses influence spacetime but describes how spacetime influences masses.
Steven Weinberg is an American theoretical physicist, most famous for formulating the Electroweak Interaction with Abdus Salam and Sheldon Glashow in the Standard Model of Particle Physics, earning the 3 of them the 1979 Nobel Prize in Physics.
The 3 volumes of his textbook, “The Quantum Theory of Fields” are standard material for anyone studying theoretical particle physics, and his “Cosmology” textbook is probably the best book available for anyone seriously studying astrophysics in senior undergraduate and graduate years.
He also wrote the transcript of Richard Feynman’s famous talk “Elementary Particles and the Laws of Physics” for The 1986 Dirac Memorial Lecture.
He is also the author of “The First 3 minutes”, a popular science book discussing how the first 3 minutes in the history of the universe were, due to the fine tunings of the electroweak interaction, responsible for shaping our universe today and making it even remotely habitable.
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