Falling cats, parallel parking, and polarized light

This paper addresses issues surrounding the concept of geometric phase or anholonomy. Certain physical phenomena apparently require for their explanation and understanding reference to topological/geometric features of some abstract space of parameters. These issues are related to the question of how gauge structures are to be interpreted and whether or not the debate over their reality is really going to be fruitful. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.