441 Crisis (1/2)
”This is a hypothesis made exclusively for explaining the photoelectric effect. It does not apply extensively as a standard hypothesis is supposed to be, for it cannot be used to explain other phenomena of light. It even contradicts to what the diffraction image tells us. With no experiment as its support, the hypothesis is rather doubtful. It is a hypothesis with logical, succinct, and beautiful reasoning yet goes the opposite way from the true situations…
”Arcanists have made lots of similar hypotheses like this one. When a hypothesis does not have broad application, it usually means that the direction of the hypothesis is problematic. I share the same opinion for this paper…
”I believe that Mr. Lucien Evans is also aware of this fact. He knows that his hypothesis contradicts Mr. Brook's electromagnetism system, as well as the series of classic photics patterns. This is why he added to the last part of his paper that he is only addressing the instantaneity, while light was still wavelike from the whole picture.”
The more Lauren wrote, the angrier he got. What was preventing him from scolding Lucien right in the face was the fact that Lucien was the Lord of Storm's student, a member of the Review Board, and someone with many awards. In his eyes, Lucien should be realistic, give up his ridiculous dream pursuing quantum theory, and open his eyes to see the stable and perfect current arcana system.
Taking a deep breath, Lauren continued to write. ”… Also, this hypothesis, which seems to be another version of the particle theory, starts from the idea that energy is not transferred successively, which is absurd. Even those who support the particle theory would not agree with this. However, what has to be admitted is that this is a complete paper that can be quite inspiring, and it offers a temporary solution to explain the photoelectric effect. So my review decision would be:
”It is a paper worth of broad discussion, but its value is also limited to this for now. When there is precise evidence support, the review result can be changed. My current suggestion is that one arcana credit and five arcana points should be given as the reward.”
When writing the conclusion, Lauren was being quite cunning. He dared not to speak out his true opinion, because Lucien Evans was very famous and the young genius arcanist also had lots of support from his teacher. If Lauren was not being careful enough, he might lose his job and position on the Board.
Lauren had his reason for letting the paper pass. In the Congress, there were still supporters of the particle theory of light. If he rejected Lucien Evans's paper using the fact that the paper contradicted Brook's electromagnetism system, the same thing would happen to all the submitted papers advocating the wave theory, as the Review Board members supporting the particle theory would reject the wave papers using the fact that they contradicted Douglas' light speed experiment and the photoelectric effect. Therefore, he had to make a compromise. Although wave theory had taken the more dominant position out, the particle theory out there had not admitted its failure yet.
After he finished writing the comment, Lauren picked up his pipe and took a drag. There was a cold smile on his face — He was going to recommend Lucien Evans's paper to Drummond and make him publish the paper on Arcana as a paper open for discussion, whether Lucien Evans wanted this or not. This young genius had to prepare himself for the endless criticism and attack.
Because currently no other theory could be found to explain the hypothesis of energy quantum, rarely were there any arcanists who would write a paper refuting it. But now the situation was different: Lucien was directly challenging one of the two classic arcana systems. In other words, he had chosen the opposite side against most arcanists. With classical theories and experimental data, they would not let Lucien get around that easily!
Lauren then wrote a letter to Drummond and sent it. Standing up, he paced back and forth in his study with his hands folded behind his back, and he murmured to himself, ”The best way is to refute his hypothesis by using a hard experiment result. A decisive result will leave Lucien Evans no space for finding excuses…”
...
In the Allyn branch of Moonsong League, a unique-looking, middle-aged man was reading a paper. He had lots of electric-arc-shaped tattoos, and there were fine tiny electric currents sparking on his bare head as if he had thick silver hair. His eyes slightly squinted, in which there were electric sparks as well.
”Finally, Lucien Evans has revealed himself as a supporter of the particle theory. Or… is he trying to promote his quantum theory?” Teixeira, the level-seven arcanist and eighth-circle sorcerer, sneered. ”No matter what his purpose is, this paper is useless except that it does explain the photoelectric effect. He scraped together the entire paper just for the sake of explaining the effect. Of course, Lucien Evans does not have any hard experiment evidence to support, or his head would have been exploded from seeing the experiment image.
”Lucien Evans had written this much words and formulas in the paper… I'll let the paper pass but only admit its value for discussion. Heh, I wonder how that crazy hound, Artil, would respond?”
Teixeira then started putting his thoughts down into written words. ”… It is undeniable that the paper deserves some discussion, and it offers us a possible direction in explaining the photoelectric effect. Two arcana credits and six arcana points are suggested to be given as the reward.”
Before, Teixeira had nothing against Lucien. But now it was different as Lucien was attacking the system of electromagnetism, which was the foundation of Teixeira's cognitive world, using the particle theory and the quantum theory.
If it had not been for Lucien's many previous achievements, Teixeira almost started doubting that if Lucien was actually a real arcana genius like what people said.
Putting down the quill-pen, Teixeira picked up the materials on the photoelectric effect, which had been his very interest recently. As he read further, he could not help frowning.
If Lucien Evans's hypothesis was applied, the photoelectric effect indeed could be explained precisely and briefly.
”Why…” Teixeira was rather bothered. ”This hypothesis completely contradicts the classic experiment image, but it could explain the photoelectric effect which contradicts with the wave theory…”