What’s Wrong with this Criticism

Aloysius F. Kracklauer

Maria Chiara Angelini, Giorgio Parisi A, Federico Ricci‐Tersenghi

Abstract In the paper Angelini M C et al (2013 Phys. Rev. B 87 134201) we introduced a real-space renormalization group called ensemble renormalization group (ERG) and we applied it to the Edwards–Anderson model, obtaining estimates for the critical exponents in good agreement with those from Monte Carlo simulations. Recently the paper Castellana M (2019 J. Phys. A: Math. Theor. 52 445002) re-examined the ERG method from a different perspective, concluding that the previous results were wrong, and claiming that the ERG method predicts trivially wrong critical exponents. In this comment we explain why the conclusions reached by Castellana are wrong, as they are based on a misinterpretation of finite-size effects. We conclude that the ERG method remains a good RG method to obtain critical exponents in strongly disordered models (if properly used).

Leo P. Kadanoff, W. Götze, D.G. Hamblen +7 more

This paper compares theory and experiment for behavior very near critical points. The primary experimental results are the "critical indices" which describe singularities in various thermodynamic derivatives and correlation functions. These indices are tabulated and compared with theory. The basic theoretical ideas are introduced via the molecular field approach, which brings in the concept of an order parameter and suggests that there are close relations among different phase transition problems. Although this theory is qualitatively correct it is quantitatively wrong, it predicts the wrong values of the critical indices. Another theoretical approach, the "scaling law" concept, which predicts relations among these indices, is described. The experimental evidence for and against the scaling laws is assessed. It is suggested that the scaling laws provide a promising approach to understanding phenomena near the critical point, but that they are by no means proved or disproved by the existing experimental data.

Mladen Pavicic

Both quantum and classical logics have several mutually non-equivalent and non-isomorphic models as has repeatedly been proved in the literature. Yet, several authors have recently come with criticisms of this result. In this paper, we show that the criticisms are either unfounded or wrong.

Oded Goldreich