April 20, 1994 - April 20, 2027
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Date:08ThursdayDecember 2016Colloquia
Paul Dirac – the theorists’ theorist
More information Time 11:15 - 12:30Location Edna and K.B. Weissman Building of Physical Sciences
AuditoriumLecturer Graham Farmelo
NAOrganizer Faculty of PhysicsContact Details Show full text description of 11:00 – coffee, tea, and more...» 11:00 – coffee, tea, and moreAbstract Show full text abstract about Although Paul Dirac was one of the founders of quantum mecha...» Although Paul Dirac was one of the founders of quantum mechanics, his peers always perceived him as an outsider, with a unique approach to the subject that was often hard to understand. In this talk, I explain how he came to have such an unusual perspective and why it enabled him to be so productive. In particular, I want to describe the origins of his passion for the idea that mathematical beauty is crucially important to theoreticians who seek the fundamental laws of nature.