Innovations in Statistical Physics

Abstract

In 1963–71, a group of people, myself included, formulated and perfected a new approach to physics problems, which eventually came to be known under the names of scaling, universality, and renormalization. This work formed the basis of a wide variety of theories ranging from a starting point in critical phenomena, moving out to particle physics and relativity, and then into economics and biology. This work was of transcendental beauty and of considerable intellectual importance. This left me with a personal problem. What next? Constructing the answer to that question would dominate the next 45 years of my professional life. I would ■ Try to help in finding and constructing new fields of science. ■ Do research and give talks on the science-society borderline. ■ Provide constructive criticism of scientific and technical work. ■ Help students and younger scientists. ■ Demonstrate scientific leadership.