Dresden 2011 – scientific programme

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AGPhil: Arbeitsgruppe Philosophie der Physik

AGPhil 1: Epistemological and Conceptual Foundations

AGPhil 1.3: Talk

Monday, March 14, 2011, 15:00–15:30, BEY 154

The fundamental constants of nature have probably been unchanged during the whole history of the universe — •Karl Otto Greulich — Fritz Lipmann institute Beutenbergstr 11 D 07745 Jena

Physics as we know it is closely related to the actual values of the fundamental constants of nature. Whether the latter have been constant during the whole existence of the universe is still under debate. The fine structure constant alpha can be written as re*me and the gravitation factor gamma = re/mp, where re is the classical electron radius expressed in Planck lengths and me respectively mp the electron and proton mass expressed in Planck masses. Thus, alpha or gamma can have changed with time only, when electron or proton properties or the Planck units have changed, Since alpha is also related to the coupling constant of quantum electrodynamics additional fundamental processes can be traced back to electron or proton properties.

Reference K.O. Greulich Expression of the dimensionless constants of nature as function of proton and electron properties Verhandlungen der DPG 3/2006 Gr 303.1