On the Nonlinear Spinor Theory of Elementary Particles

Abstract

The nonlinear theory of elementary particles dates back to about 1953 when Heisenberg [1] made his first attempts to formulate a general theory of elementary particles in form of a fundamental spinor field coupled to itself. This first version of the theory was thought to be a model theory which still lacked features essential for a realistic theory. In 1958 another form of the spinor theory was suggested by W. Heisenberg and W. Pauli [2] where more realistic features were introduced. About this theory I wish to talk since most of the further investigations in Munich were done in connection with this theory [3]. I indicated that this theory contains more realistic features than the former model theory. It is still uncertain whether one can honestly hope that it may in the end produce and explain the richness of all elementary particle physics. Many of you, I guess, will have the impression after my lecture that the chances are rather small for such a hope, because there seem to be rather obvious shortcomings some of which I will point out to you during my lecture. I do not want to argue on this point, because at the present moment we do not have any solid mathematical arguments but only physical perceptions how these shortcomings can be overcome, since many things which you may consider obvious at a first glance, may look quite puzzling at a second, and even possibly wrong at a third glance.

Lecture given at the V. Internationalen Universitätswochen für Kernphysik, Schladming, 24 February – 9 March 1966.