QUANTIZATION OF NONRELATIVISTIC PHASE SPACE AND THE STANDARD MODEL

We start from recalling the limited and descriptive character of our theories, and point out the existence of a tension between relativity and quantum physics. It is then argued that some quantum features of the Standard Model may be understood when the concept of arena used for the description of physical processes is changed from relativistic 'space-time' to nonrelativistic 'phase-space + time'. The phase-space form x(2) + P-2, which constitutes a natural generalization of 3D invariants x(2) and p(2), is linearized a la Dirac, with x(k) and p(j) satisfying standard commutation relations. This leads to a quantum-level structure related to phase space, and to the appearance of new quantum numbers. The latter are identified with internal quantum numbers characterizing the structure of a single quark-lepton generation. The approach provides a preonless interpretation of the Harari-Shupe model, and leads both to a different view on the concept of quark mass and to the emergence of quark-confining strings.