Asymptotic Freedom: From Paradox to Paradigm

Abstract

Asymptotic freedom was developed as a response to two paradoxes: the weirdness of quarks, and in particular their failure to radiate copiously when struck; and the coexistence of special relativity and quantum theory, despite the apparent singularity of quantum field theory. It resolved these paradoxes, and catalyzed the development of several modern paradigms: the hard reality of quarks and gluons, the origin of mass from energy, the simplicity of the early universe, and the power of symmetry as a guide to physical law.

Comments: 26 pages, 10 figures. Lecture on receipt of the 2004 Nobel Prize. v2: typo (in Ohm's law) corrected