On Wednesday, January 7, 2026 at 2:47:45 AM UTC-7 Alan Grayson wrote:
On Saturday, January 3, 2026 at 12:47:05 AM UTC-7 Alan Grayson wrote:
On Tuesday, December 30, 2025 at 6:08:48 PM UTC-7 Alan Grayson wrote:
In 1966, Julian Schwinger formally broke from the "nonsense" of standard
field theory with his paper *"Particles and Sources"*. He argued that the
vacuum isn't a boiling sea of energy, but a silence that only "speaks" when
matter (a source) is present.
1. The Physics: Schwinger's "Zero Vacuum" Proof
Schwinger’s mathematical "reset" for the vacuum is centered on the *vacuum
persistence amplitude *( {0_+ | 0_} ).
-
*The Proof of Zero:* In standard QFT, you calculate the energy of the
vacuum and find it to be infinite, then "renormalize" it away. Schwinger
bypassed this by defining a *source* (J) as the only physical thing.
-
*The Amplitude Anchor:* He set the probability that a vacuum remains a
vacuum in the absence of sources to exactly *1* ( |0_+ | 0_ ) = 1 for
J=0 ). This anchor ensures that the baseline energy of the void is
*identically
zero* from the very first line of the math, not subtracted later as a
"correction".
-
*The Lamb Shift:* To Schwinger, the 1057 MHz shift wasn't caused by the
vacuum "kicking" the electron. It was *self-interaction*: the electron
interacting with the electromagnetic field it creates itself (radiation
reaction). By focusing on the electron (the source) and not the void, he
reached the correct result without the "artifact" of zero-point energy.
*Schwinger's "Green's Function"* and how it replaces the concept
of virtual particles.
To explore Julian Schwinger’s rejection of traditional vacuum "nonsense"
and his formalization of *Source Theory*, the following papers and
foundational texts are essential. These works detail his transition from
the "historical burden" of operator field theory to a framework where the
vacuum is truly empty.
Foundational Papers
-
*Particles and Sources (1966) <https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRev.152.1219>*:
This is the seminal short paper that launched the "source-theory
revolution". In it, Schwinger introduces the idea that all of particle
physics can be based on the abstraction of *particle creation and
annihilation acts* (sources), rather than fluctuating fields.
-
*Sources and Electrodynamics (1967)
<https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRev.158.1391>*: Following the 1966
manifesto, this paper applies the source theory framework specifically to
electrodynamics, providing the groundwork for his alternative derivation of
the *Lamb Shift*.
-
*On Gauge Invariance and Vacuum Polarization (1951)
<https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRev.82.664>*: While written before the
official birth of Source Theory, this paper contains the seeds of his
"Source" concept and remains one of the most cited works in physics for its
handling of vacuum effects without the usual divergences.
Comprehensive Texts
Schwinger consolidated his lifelong work into a three-volume series that
serves as the definitive guide to his "phenomenological" physics:
-
*Particles, Sources, and Fields, Volume 1
<https://www.google.com/search?q=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Particles_Sources_and_Fields/rIc0AQAAIAAJ>*:
Focuses on the unified treatment of high-energy physics, electrodynamics,
and gravitation, explicitly rejecting the "dogmas" of operator field theory.
-
*Particles, Sources, and Fields, Volume 2
<https://www.vitalsource.com/products/particles-sources-and-fields-volume-2-julian-schwinger-v9780429978104>*:
Deals almost exclusively with *Quantum Electrodynamics* and includes the
detailed mathematics of how his "quiet vacuum" reproduces the results of
the Lamb Shift.
-
*Quantum Legacy: Seminal Papers of Julian Schwinger
<https://archive.org/details/quantumlegacysem0000schw>*: An archival
collection of his most important works, including a complete list of his
publications and historical context on his split from the mainstream.
Historical & Philosophical Context
-
*Julian Schwinger: Source Theory and the UCLA Years
<https://arxiv.org/abs/hep-ph/9505293>*: A detailed account by Kimball
Milton, one of Schwinger's closest collaborators, explaining the
motivations behind Source Theory and its application to the *Casimir
Effect*.
-
*Julian Schwinger's Conflicts in Physics
<https://escholarship.org/content/qt70m7r3r8/qt70m7r3r8.pdf>*: An
exploration of Schwinger's "isolated hero" status and his staunch adherence
to Source Theory as a more physically honest alternative to the mainstream
path.
This is revolutionary and hugely well-founded, but apparently of no
interest here. Soon it will come time for me to leave this discussion
group. AG
These links authoritatively confirm what Bruce Kellett has been claiming
for years; THE QUANTUM FOAM DOESN'T EXIST! AG
No responses. No interest? This List is brain-dead. Soon time to leave. AG
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