440 Reviewing and Being Reviewed (1/2)

”It's just about using the hypothesis of energy quantum to explain the photoelectric effect,” said Lucien honestly with a constant smile on his face.

The corner of Fernando's mouth twitched a bit. ”You call this 'enlightening'… I don't think there are arcanists who want to be enlightened like this.”

Fernando and Lucien had excluded all the other possible explanations together, and the only possible answer left was the hypothesis of energy quantum. Therefore, after the initial reluctance and struggle, Fernando was the one who accepted this hypothesis the most. However, even so, Fernando would only use it when analyzing the black-body radiation, but never in any other fields.

Then Fernando mumbled. ”So you want to use the hypothesis to build your own system?”

If Lucien's paper was just a further explanation of the hypothesis of energy quantum, it would not be that subversive. As long as Lucien had not proved the hypothesis with experiments, Fernando would not need to be too worried that Lucien might destroy the entire Congress with his theory.

As he turned the pages, Fernando's expression became more and more serious. ”Although in the studies of the black-body radiation, I've started to feel inclined to use the quantum hypothesis for explaining the energy absorption and emission, I still don't think it's necessary to further apply the hypothesis to explain the presence and transmission of light. Brook's equations have well offered a good explanation, and hypotheses should not be multiplied unnecessarily.”

Although Fernando was on the side of the wave theory of light, he was not a firm supporter. But any arcanists who specialized at Electromagnetics would be deeply shocked by and fell in love with the beauty in Brook's equations, which was like an elegant piece of poetry of the Goddess of Magic. Therefore, facing the hypothesis that challenged Brook's theory, Fernando still had spontaneous rejection in his heart, although the hypothesis perfectly and precisely explained the photoelectric effect.

Lucien was not surprised that this idea was very unacceptable even for an open-minded grand arcanist like Fernando.

Fernando put down the paper and said in a serious tone, ”however, this is the best explanation of the photoelectric effect that I have ever seen so far. If you spend some time to improve the magic circles and conduct an experiment with great precision as your evidence, it might be easier for people to accept it.”

”So far I'm not capable of doing such an experiment.” Lucien did not mention the true reason behind it was if he included the experiments, some sorcerers' cognitive world would be shattered or injured.

After he read the paper, Fernando knew that the requirements for carrying out the experiment were extremely high, so he didn't think much after hearing Lucien's excuse. ”Although I do not agree with you, yet based on the entire process, I still have to admit that your viewpoint is very enlightening, as it reasonably and succinctly explained the photoelectric effect. Your explanation does leave a deep impression on me. But, the last part, in which you talked about the particle-like property of the instantaneity of time and the wave-like property of the time average… It's too weak and redundant! It makes people feel that you're not even a firm supporter of your own hypothesis yourself! You're trying to find a peaceful place to get along with the wave theory, in a ridiculous way!”

”In fact, this is my true point, or we can't explain the diffraction of light, nor the photoelectric effect.” Lucien tried to be bold.

Fernando gave him a stern look and asked, ”so you're saying it's both wave and particle. Then what on earth is light? You assume that quantum effect divides light into portions, so it's a combined formation. But why don't you think further? Why these many light quanta generally show the properties of wave? Why do the quanta march forward following the rule of wave?

”Did you ever see the knights charging? Without strict command and training, their charging would be a disaster, instead of in an organized form of a triangle. But who commands the quanta of light so that they move in the form of waves? The God of Truth?!

”Have you ever thought about it?!”

Even when talking to his favorite student, Fernando was still the same strict and straightforward. Lucien could almost feel the sprays from his teacher.

”… No one's giving command, Sir. It is wave itself, and, of course, exhibit the features of wave. Sir, I don't think it will work trying to explain why light carries the features of waves from the perspective that light is particles. Light is wave itself,” said Lucien sincerely.

However, Lucien's words did not make any sense at all in Fernando's ears. To him, light's form of existence could be something beyond his imagination, but it still had to make sense!

Thus, he roared. ”What about the photoelectric effect?!”

”Light also consists of light quanta. In this case, we don't need to think about it from the perspective of waves.” The way Lucien was talking started to become philosophical.

But Lucien was not planning on roaring against Fernando right now, not at all, since he was still far from revealing the final answer. So he said, ”Sir, this is not yet a mature theory… I'm still thinking. So it's not included in the paper.”

Fernando slightly nodded, although he still kept a straight face. He allowed his student to have a rich imagination, but it had to base on solid reasoning. ”Comparing to your true viewpoint, I find this paper much more lovable. I don't want to arcana studies to fall into a philosophical debate in the end.”

Then Fernando knocked at the desk and said, ”are you sure you're going to submit the paper without any experiment support? Be ready to face the attack from most of the arcanists.”

”It's okay. Without a conclusion, they'll soon forget about it.” Lucien did not really care.

Looking at Lucien, Fernando shook his head, ”Don't underestimate the perseverance of the arcanists. Some won't let you go.”

...

Returning to his own office in Arcana Review Board, Lucien saw a paper on his desk. However, as soon as he picked it up, Lucien frowned. Since people got to know how he helped Levski and saw how successful Levski was right now, many arcanists started submitting their own ”subversive” papers directly to Lucien, hoping that Lucien would support them so they could become famous overnight.

However, their papers did not even respect basic logic, and Lucien could not even take a second glance at their derivation processes. Claiming that they had overthrown Brook system and Douglas system, the papers were more than absurd. Lucien had to try his best to hold himself back from the urge to tear down the papers into pieces, throw them on those people's face, and call them ”folk arcanists”!

However, after calming down a bit, Lucien still wanted to be objective, since he was well aware of the fact that how destructive prejudice and stereotype could be. He started reading the paper carefully.