Alan,
I have found all of your essays to be beneficial. This one is no exception. Many thanks.
The "shut up and calculate" mentality is very similar to the mentality prior to the Helios-centric paradigm shift. Perhaps this means another paradigm shift is in the works. You present a good argument regarding what that shift might look like.
Your emphasis is upon waves. So I will ask you ... "What is waving?" Soliton waves might explain a lot. But what is the medium? Can a wave be more fundamental than the medium that is waving?
Is it possible or practical to empirically test for deviations beyond first order to falsify any of your predictions? This is where the truth will be found.
Taking spin as fundamental seems reasonable to me ... especially since it is a property that is so difficult to comprehend based upon macro-world experience. The fact that you are able to fit it into so many properties is very promising I think.
Lastly, you have identified a number of paradigm shifts that you believe were incorrect. I will simply note that as science advances, interpretations are made as to the meaning of observations. If enough such interpretations are made, sooner or later one of them will be wrong and everything thereafter will also be wrong. I don't necessarily know which one in our history is wrong, but I'm pretty sure that at least one of them is.
Well done.
Best Regards,
Gary Simpson