Wheeler–Feynman absorber theory

In physics, Wheeler–Feynman theory is a nonlocal, Lorentz invariant, classical theory of electromagnetism in which charged particles do not act on themselves, but only on other particles. As a consequence, the motion of a charged particle depends on the past (retarded) and future (advanced) motions of all other charged particles. This theory avoids the problem of the self-mass of a charged particle and is otherwise completely equivalent with the more well known field theory of electromagnetism. Quantum electrodynamical versions of the absorber theory were made by Hoyle and Narlikar and also by Davies.^{[citation needed]} Feynman believed the self interaction of the electron could not be avoided for a quantum electrodynamical theory, but this is currently not proved.

Richard Feynman, a Nobel Prize winning physicist, was a graduate student while Professor John Wheeler taught at Princeton. Although Wheeler was less than 10 years older than Feynman, he admired Wheeler and his intellect so much that he asked him to be his thesis advisor.

See also