Alternative Symmetries in Quantum Field Theory and Gravity

Abstract

A general, incomplete and partisan overview of various areas of the theoretical investigation is presented. Most of this activity stems from the search for physics beyond quantum field theory and general relativity, a titanic struggle that, in my opinion, empowered the symmetry principles to a dangerous level of speculation. In the works (that are my own) commented upon here the attempt has been to proceed by holding to certain epistemological pillars (usually absent from the too speculative theories) such as, e.g., four or less dimensions, proposals for experimental tests of radical ideas, wide cross-fertilization, etc.. As for the latter, the enterprise is undertaken within a theoretical perspective that pushes till condensed matter and even biology the cross-fertilization between ``branches of physics''.Comment: 42 pages, 1 figure, Habilitation (associate professorship) dissertation at Charles University in Prague, the papers of Section 5 are not included but easy to fin