Applied Physics | Assumptions of Physics: A new principled approach to the foundations of physics

We will give an overview and some key results from the Assumptions of Physics research program, which aims to find minimal sets of physically meaningful starting points from which the different physical theories can be rederived. It consists of two main strategies. The first, Reverse Physics, starts from the known physical laws and studies principles and assumptions that are equivalent to the mathematical formulation. This allows one to create a clear dictionary between physical concepts and their mathematical representation, showing us, for example, what physical assumptions are equivalent to the principle of least action, or that geometric structures in physics are equivalent to entropic structures. The second approach, Physical Mathematics, aims to rederive all mathematical structures used in physics "from scratch," giving physics a more conceptually solid mathematical foundation. Ultimately, this will lead to a theory of physical theories, which can be used to better understand the current ones and to aid the search for new ones.