Sir Arthur Eddington and the Foundations of Modern Physics

Abstract

This doctoral dissertation presents an in-depth analysis of the first six chapters of Eddington's Fundamental Theory, sometimes referred to as his 'statistical' theory, in the context of discoveries and advancements made since its original publication in 1946. In particular, the analysis is focused on being in the context of the foundations of quantum mechanics and quantum field theory. The results of the analysis illuminate a number of novel methods and techniques that, though not always correct, may prove to be enlightening and even useful for future research in quantum foundations.