Abstract
Source theory(1) is an effective, nonspeculative attitude and framework in which to treat the interactions of quantum particles. It is a field theory without operators in which, as in classical field theory, phenomenological fields are defined in terms of the response of the action to probe sources. The transition to classical physics is thus smooth. It is an effective approach in that renormalization, which connects operator fields to their particle content, does not occur. It is effective also in the practical sense: a great variety of calculations in gravitational, weak, electromagnetic, and strong interactions can be carried out simply and with physical clarity.
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References and Notes
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Milton, K.A. (1980). Macroscopic Quantum Electrodynamics. In: Barut, A.O. (eds) Foundations of Radiation Theory and Quantum Electrodynamics. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-0671-0_15
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