Eugene Wigner was a Hungarian-American physicist and mathematician, born on November 17, 1902, in Budapest, Hungary. He is best known for his contributions to the field of quantum mechanics and nuclear physics. He is also known as one of [[The Martians]]. Wigner studied engineering at the Technical University of Berlin and later pursued a doctorate in chemical engineering at the University of Berlin. However, he quickly shifted his focus to theoretical physics and mathematics. In the 1920s, Wigner worked with famous physicists like David Hilbert and Richard Courant. During this time, he made significant contributions to quantum mechanics, particularly in the areas of group theory and symmetries. He formulated what is now known as "Wigner's theorem," which describes how symmetries in quantum systems can be related to conserved quantities. In the 1930s, Wigner moved to the United States due to rising anti-Semitism in Europe. He joined Princeton University as a professor and continued his research in nuclear physics. During World War II, he contributed to the Manhattan Project, which developed the atomic bomb. Wigner's most notable work during this period was his concept of "symmetry breaking" in particle physics. He proposed that certain fundamental forces (such as electromagnetism) could emerge from initially symmetric systems through a spontaneous symmetry-breaking process. After the war, Wigner became interested in the philosophical implications of quantum mechanics and its relationship with consciousness. He proposed that consciousness plays a role in collapsing quantum wavefunctions—a concept now known as "the Wigner's friend thought experiment." In 1963, Eugene Wigner was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his contributions to nuclear physics and symmetries in quantum mechanics. He continued teaching at Princeton until his retirement in 1971 but remained active in scientific research until his death on January 1, 1995. # The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Math Eugene Wigner's seminal paper, **"The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Mathematics in the Natural Sciences,"** is a deeply influential work in the philosophy of science and mathematics. Published in 1960 in the journal _Communications in Pure and Applied Mathematics_, this essay explores the puzzling phenomenon that the abstract constructs of mathematics can so effectively describe and predict phenomena in the physical world. ### Key Points of Wigner's Paper: 1. **Central Thesis**: Wigner begins by observing that mathematics, which he defines as a collection of abstract concepts and theorems invented by humans, is surprisingly effective at describing the physical universe. He finds it particularly striking that mathematical theories developed for their own sake often end up applying to physical realities in unexpected ways. 2. **Historical Examples**: Wigner illustrates his point with numerous examples where mathematical concepts have found application in the physical sciences. For instance, he mentions the mathematical theory of complex numbers that found unexpected application in quantum mechanics, a field that emerged much later than the development of complex numbers themselves. 3. **The Problem of Applicability**: Wigner discusses the "miracle" of the applicability of mathematics to the physical sciences as something that we neither understand nor deserve. He suggests that this effectiveness is a gift that we take for granted, without having a satisfactory rational explanation. 4. **Philosophical Implications**: The paper delves into philosophical implications, questioning why the laws of nature align so closely with the structure of the mathematics invented by humans. Wigner speculates on whether mathematics is uniquely human or if it carries a deeper connection to the universe itself. 5. **Implications for Scientific Inquiry**: Wigner also ponders the implications of this effectiveness for scientific inquiry, suggesting that the utility of mathematics for describing the physical world is a central pillar of why science works so well. He proposes that this alignment might guide future scientific theories and discoveries. # Plato's Problem and Yoneda Lemma Also see [[Plato's Problem]] as another way of articulating the problem by **knowing very little**, you can still infer a lot from it. This should also be related to the content of [[Yoneda Embedding]] by the meaning that so much content could be embedded as [[vector embeddings]]. ### Impact and Critique: Wigner's paper has sparked considerable discussion and analysis in multiple disciplines, including physics, philosophy, and the philosophy of mathematics. Philosophers and scientists have debated the "unreasonableness" Wigner speaks of, with some suggesting that the alignment between mathematics and physics is not as mysterious or "miraculous" as Wigner posited. Others have argued that this effectiveness hints at underlying principles or truths about the universe that mathematics taps into. This work continues to be referenced and discussed as one of the profound inquiries into the nature of scientific knowledge and the role of mathematical structures in explaining the universe. It poses fundamental questions about whether mathematics is purely a human artifact or deeply intertwined with the fabric of reality. # Conclusion Eugene Wigner's work has had a lasting impact on various fields of physics, including quantum mechanics, nuclear physics, and the philosophy of science. He is remembered as a brilliant scientist who made significant contributions to our understanding of the fundamental laws of nature. # References ```dataview Table title as Title, authors as Authors where contains(subject, "Eugene Wigner") or contains(subject, "Eugene P. Wigner") or contains(authors, "Eugene Wigner") or contains(authors, "Eugene P. Wigner") ```