Virtual Particles as Relational Scaffolding: A Structural Interpretation of Quantum Fields
Abstract
This paper argues that virtual particles are not physical entities but structural adjustments within a quantum field. Using a relation‑first framework, it reframes the vacuum as a generative environment that maintains coherence under constraint. Virtual particles are treated as local signatures of global relational updates, not objects that appear and disappear. This interpretation clarifies the Casimir effect, avoids reification, and aligns quantum field behavior with a broader relational ontology in which structure—not substance—does the explanatory work.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Quantum and Classical Electrodynamics
Quantum Mechanics and Applications
Relativity and Gravitational Theory
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
- Publication date
- 23 February 2026
- Language
- EN
- Document type
- Preprint