Quantum Hadrodynamics: Evolution and Revolution

Abstract

The underlying philosophy and motivation for quantum hadrodynamics (QHD), namely, relativistic field theories of nuclear phenomena featuring manifest covariance, have evolved over the last quarter century in response to successes, failures, and sharp criticisms. A recent revolution in QHD, based on modern effective field theory and density functional theory perspectives, explains the successes, provides antidotes to the failures, rebuts the criticisms, and focuses the arguments in favor of a covariant representation.