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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

FAPP en · ADP

Pronunciation

Etymology

Popularized by physicist John Stewart Bell.

Meanings

  1. (abbreviation, alt-of) Abbreviation of for all practical purposes.
    • Going beyond FAPP to interpret quantum theory is today a growth industry, and a contentious field, though a very small fraction of physicists are involved. 2011, Bruce Rosenblum, Fred Kuttner, Quantum Enigma, page 206:
    • Newtonian physics works fine, FAPP, at the macroscopic level, say Rosenblum & Kuttner[…] 2019, David Yeats, A Universe Full of Magical Things, page 45:
    • Is it not good to know what follows from what, even if it is not necessary FAPP? Suppose for example that quantum mechanics were found to resist precise formulation. Suppose that when formulation beyond FAPP is attempted, we find an unmovable finger obstinately pointing outside the subject, to the mind of the observer, to the Hindu scriptures, to God, or even only Gravitation? Would that not be very, very interesting?" 1988, John Stewart Bell, Speakable and Unspeakable in Quantum Mechanics, Cambridge University Press:

wikipedia: John Stewart Bell