What is the Hierarchy Problem?
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
2025-06-03 v3 High Energy Physics - Theory
Abstract
Is there a Hierarchy Problem? If so, what, exactly, is the problem? Almost every theorist has a personal answer to these questions. In this article, I give my answers. I will explain that the Hierarchy Problem is not a formal problem but rather our ignorance of a crucial physics explanation -- the explanation of the nature of the Higgs boson. Without the solution to this problem, we cannot make progress on the major questions of our field.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2505.00694,
title = {What is the Hierarchy Problem?},
author = {Michael E. Peskin},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2505.00694},
year = {2025}
}
Comments
14 pages, invited contribution to a special issue of Nuclear Physics B: "Clarifying Common Misconceptions in High Energy Physics and Cosmology", E. 0 Colgain and Y. Farzan, eds ; v2: typo corrections, references added; v3: typo corrections from the journal copy-edit