Abstract

In this article the Dirac equation is used a guideline to see the historical emergence of the concept of quanta, associated with the quantum field. In P. Jordan’s approach, the electron as quanta results from the quantization of a classical field described by the Dirac equation. The concept of quanta becomes a central piece in the applications of the theory and is seen as fundamental in the intelegibility of the interaction between fields, being the Fock space the natural mathematical structure that permits maintaining the quanta concept when considering interactions. This doesn’t seem to avoid the apparent impossibility of using the concept of quanta – and with it the common interpretation of quantum field, when interacting fields are considered together as one complete system. In this article it is defended that the type of analysis that leads itself to so drastic conclusions is avoidable if a clear distinction is made of the theoretical framework and particular models used in the empirical corroboration of the theory. When dealing with models there is really no complete interacting fields, and what we have is a description of interaction between distinct fields. In this situation the concept of quanta is central in the description of interacting fields.