Dear Edwin.
This is quick notification for you and discussion that I shared Richard. Im reading this your essay and will comment later.
Since Richard J. Benish told in his essay some interesting point of your ideas which I really appreciated.
I think your essay is very interesting and important (one of the best I know so far) and therefore rate after reading it with great intention, Since it profoundly attacks most of current problems in physics. It really gives me a good answer about the questions related to prioritizing problems I faced.
To address all problems and to put new forward going Idea are two very important actions, but I sometimes wonder which one is most important to focus on first?.
Here is my essay in current contest; https://fqxi.org/community/forum/topic/3143
Please feel free and comment, discuss, approve, disapprove or ... Truth is only important thing for all and forever.
According to your essay, some points I really understand are;
"How far into the foundations, when it comes, must the revolution penetrate?" [1]-- Thomas E. Phipps, Jr.
"One of the current essay contestants, Edwin Kling-man, echoes some of Phipps' ideas by suggesting that the course of physics would benefit by rethinking the foundations back to Hertz and Maxwell. [2]".
I absolute with Edwin and would like to comment, that at least some department of physics namely Theoretical Physics should go back 19th century by recombining to Natural Philosophy, in order to setup it's foundation and recover fundamental problems, or minimum point to 1932 and cancel Coulomb's charge statement and all fundamental interpretation Quantum Mechanics namely Nuclear force and hypothetical boson particles with its massles terms and profoundly rearrange everything.
On the other hand the impact of above mentioned statements gives that the question of Fundamental Physicality would be incomprehensible without setting up its basics by addressing all problems in Physics (comprehensive environment).
Paul Dirac was one of very few Physicists that have been worrying about this case since 1928.
"2 . What's Not Fundamental About Modern Physics and Cosmology?".
I think the Interpretation of Modern Physics (Quantum Mechanics) is Fundamental.
Regarding to history of scientific development It has been something normal that scientists at time conclude their work and generalize to equation, based what they so far but second generations must be aware it's validity and if there is new discovery immediately must be profoundly interpreted while taking into account it Philsophical aspect, other wise misinterpretation may lead chain of misconceptions. A best example is tremendous situation of the separation (due to matter of misinterpretation) between Classical Physics and the Quantum Mechanics.
Linking them to the Fundamental nature of Gravity, there is 232 years old PUZZLE namely Coulomb's Law which have no valid reason last 85 years (1932 last nucleon discovery), but I m not quite sure if today's Scientists are aware to it and it's consequences. I think the appropriate and inspiring question is;
Regarding to Coulomb's law a statement that says "same type of charge repell and different type of charge attracts". How Coulomb would conclude his law, if he know that nuclei has protons that same type of charge are attracting each other and with the neutrons? and they can be divided into fractions of charge?.
I agree many points of your conceptual explanation and would like to discuss it later. If you find more relevant essays/topics please share with me.
The fundamental concept physics is based on three basic units Mass, Space and Time ( matter plus two related basic effects) which isn't interchangeable but their effects (derived) as energy, force an so are interchangeable since it agrees with our everyday experience.
What is the difference between Fundamental and elementary?
What is the name of fundamental penergy e?.
The case of mass energy equivalence, in 2010 essay contest I have explained and quantized that mass of elementary particle (photon) but I have experienced that there is great misunderstanding due to confusion of terms over last hundred years, since photon is the first hypothetical boson
http://fqxi.org/community/forum/topic/794
Mass of photon m=E/c^2 = 1.78266173x10^-36kg.
Wavelength = 1.239841857テ--10^-8 mm.
These results and perhaps more are also in Wikipedia. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronvolt
We are incoherently talking same thing in diffrent name. I would be thankful if one can comment.
Another amazing fact is that I have noticed that it agrees with Einstein's proposed photon as particle with energy of 1eV.
What means to answer the question Fundamental in such kind of environment?
Sincerely.
Bashir.