String-bashing
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Here's a fun string-bashing article:
http://www.nwfdailynews.com/articleArchive/jun2006/notevenwrong.php It makes a couple of serious points though. What I found worrying was the claim (for which the author provides some limited evidence) that it is now impossible to get on in physics academia unless you drink the string theory kool-aid. Whither (or should that be wither) academic freeedom? Robert -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: /pipermail/friam_redfish.com/attachments/20060624/de3d058a/attachment.html |
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Robert Holmes wrote: > What I found worrying was > the claim (for which the author provides some limited evidence) that it > is now impossible to get on in physics academia unless you drink the > string theory kool-aid. Whither (or should that be wither) academic > freeedom? This is a normal dynamic in science, first identified (in the popular mind) in Thomas Kuhn's "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions." http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0226458083 The interesting question to me is what will cause the next crisis, and when. - Martin |
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In reply to this post by Robert Holmes
Not yet published, but Lee Smolin has finally had enough with String
Theory as well: Amazon.com: The Trouble With Physics: The Rise of String Theory, The Fall of a Science, and What Comes Next: Books: Lee Smolin http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0618551050/104-7070581-5619133?v=glance In this groundbreaking book, the renowned theoretical physicist Lee Smolin argues that physics?the basis for all other science?has lost its way. The problem is string theory, an ambitious attempt to formulate "a theory of everything" that explains all the forces and particles of nature and how the universe came to be. With its exotic new particles and parallel universes, string theory has captured the public"s imagination and seduced many physicists. But as Smolin reveals, there"s a deep flaw in the theory: no part of it has been proven, and no one knows how to prove it. As a scientific theory, it has been a colossal failure. And because it has soaked up the lion's share of funding, attracted some of the best minds, and penalized young physicists for pursuing other avenues, it is dragging the rest of physics down with it. With clarity, passion, and authority, Smolin charts the rise and fall of string theory and takes a fascinating look at what will replace it. A group of young theorists has begun to develop exciting new ideas that are, unlike string theory, testable. Smolin tells us who and what to watch for in the coming years and how we can find the next Einstein. This is a wake-up call, and Lee Smolin? a former string theorist himself? is the perfect person to deliver it. -- Owen Owen Densmore http://backspaces.net - http://redfish.com - http://friam.org On Jun 24, 2006, at 8:07 AM, Robert Holmes wrote: > Here's a fun string-bashing article: > http://www.nwfdailynews.com/articleArchive/jun2006/notevenwrong.php > > It makes a couple of serious points though. What I found worrying > was the > claim (for which the author provides some limited evidence) that it > is now > impossible to get on in physics academia unless you drink the > string theory > kool-aid. Whither (or should that be wither) academic freeedom? > > Robert > ============================================================ > FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv > Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College > lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org |
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Although I agree that string theory cannot be the final solution, I would have expected more from Smolin. It is too easy to bash others. That's what politicians do: constantly blaming others instead of suggesting better solutions. Where is his theory of quantum gravity ? His theory of "cosmic evolution" (proposed in "the life of the cosmos") is not testable, either. To explain everything, one has to start with nothing (see Russell's new book), and show how everything appears or emerge out of nothing. If you start with strings, that one may ask where the strings come from, what they are made of, why they live in 26 dimensions, and why they interact in the way they do. I think the most important ingredient for a "Theory of Everything" is still good old evolution. -J. -----Original Message----- From: [hidden email] [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Owen Densmore Sent: Tuesday, July 18, 2006 6:02 PM To: The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Coffee Group Subject: Re: [FRIAM] String-bashing Not yet published, but Lee Smolin has finally had enough with String Theory as well: Amazon.com: The Trouble With Physics: The Rise of String Theory, The Fall of a Science, and What Comes Next: Books: Lee Smolin http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0618551050/104-7070581-5619133?v=glance In this groundbreaking book, the renowned theoretical physicist Lee Smolin argues that physics-the basis for all other science-has lost its way. The problem is string theory, an ambitious attempt to formulate "a theory of everything" that explains all the forces and particles of nature and how the universe came to be. With its exotic new particles and parallel universes, string theory has captured the public"s imagination and seduced many physicists. But as Smolin reveals, there"s a deep flaw in the theory: no part of it has been proven, and no one knows how to prove it. As a scientific theory, it has been a colossal failure. And because it has soaked up the lion's share of funding, attracted some of the best minds, and penalized young physicists for pursuing other avenues, it is dragging the rest of physics down with it. With clarity, passion, and authority, Smolin charts the rise and fall of string theory and takes a fascinating look at what will replace it. A group of young theorists has begun to develop exciting new ideas that are, unlike string theory, testable. Smolin tells us who and what to watch for in the coming years and how we can find the next Einstein. This is a wake-up call, and Lee Smolin- a former string theorist himself- is the perfect person to deliver it. -- Owen Owen Densmore http://backspaces.net - http://redfish.com - http://friam.org On Jun 24, 2006, at 8:07 AM, Robert Holmes wrote: > Here's a fun string-bashing article: > http://www.nwfdailynews.com/articleArchive/jun2006/notevenwrong.php > > It makes a couple of serious points though. What I found worrying > was the > claim (for which the author provides some limited evidence) that it > is now > impossible to get on in physics academia unless you drink the > string theory > kool-aid. Whither (or should that be wither) academic freeedom? > > Robert > ============================================================ > FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv > Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College > lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org ============================================================ FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org |
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Well, Lee does promote a reasonable alternative, Loop Quantum Gravity.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loop_quantum_gravity More on Lee: http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/bios/smolin.html http://www.perimeterinstitute.ca/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Smolin -- Owen Owen Densmore http://backspaces.net - http://redfish.com - http://friam.org On Jul 18, 2006, at 10:30 AM, Jochen Fromm wrote: > > Although I agree that string theory cannot be the final > solution, I would have expected more from Smolin. It is > too easy to bash others. That's what politicians do: > constantly blaming others instead of suggesting better > solutions. Where is his theory of quantum gravity ? > His theory of "cosmic evolution" (proposed in "the life > of the cosmos") is not testable, either. > > To explain everything, one has to start with nothing > (see Russell's new book), and show how everything > appears or emerge out of nothing. If you start with > strings, that one may ask where the strings come > from, what they are made of, why they live in 26 > dimensions, and why they interact in the way they do. > I think the most important ingredient for a "Theory > of Everything" is still good old evolution. > > -J. > > -----Original Message----- > From: friam-bounces at redfish.com [mailto:friam-bounces at redfish.com] > On Behalf > Of Owen Densmore > Sent: Tuesday, July 18, 2006 6:02 PM > To: The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Coffee Group > Subject: Re: [FRIAM] String-bashing > > Not yet published, but Lee Smolin has finally had enough with String > Theory as well: > > Amazon.com: The Trouble With Physics: The Rise of String Theory, The > Fall of a Science, and What Comes Next: Books: Lee Smolin > > http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0618551050/104-7070581-5619133? > v=glance > > In this groundbreaking book, the renowned theoretical physicist Lee > Smolin argues that physics-the basis for all other science-has lost > its way. The problem is string theory, an ambitious attempt to > formulate "a theory of everything" that explains all the forces and > particles of nature and how the universe came to be. With its exotic > new particles and parallel universes, string theory has captured the > public"s imagination and seduced many physicists. But as Smolin > reveals, there"s a deep flaw in the theory: no part of it has been > proven, and no one knows how to prove it. As a scientific theory, it > has been a colossal failure. And because it has soaked up the lion's > share of funding, attracted some of the best minds, and penalized > young physicists for pursuing other avenues, it is dragging the rest > of physics down with it. With clarity, passion, and authority, Smolin > charts the rise and fall of string theory and takes a fascinating > look at what will replace it. A group of young theorists has begun to > develop exciting new ideas that are, unlike string theory, testable. > Smolin tells us who and what to watch for in the coming years and how > we can find the next Einstein. This is a wake-up call, and Lee Smolin- > a former string theorist himself- is the perfect person to deliver it. > > -- Owen > > Owen Densmore > http://backspaces.net - http://redfish.com - http://friam.org > > > On Jun 24, 2006, at 8:07 AM, Robert Holmes wrote: > >> Here's a fun string-bashing article: >> http://www.nwfdailynews.com/articleArchive/jun2006/notevenwrong.php >> >> It makes a couple of serious points though. What I found worrying >> was the >> claim (for which the author provides some limited evidence) that it >> is now >> impossible to get on in physics academia unless you drink the >> string theory >> kool-aid. Whither (or should that be wither) academic freeedom? >> >> Robert >> ============================================================ >> FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv >> Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College >> lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org > > > ============================================================ > FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv > Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College > lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org > > > ============================================================ > FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv > Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College > lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org |
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BTW: One of the big reasons folks are interested in Gravity (waves,
quanta) is to study the early universe in much greater detail. The Cosmic Background Radiation is of photons, which were not "liberated" by the early environment for something like 100,000 years. Neutrinos offer a much shorter threshold in terms of years, but gravity waves would be completely unhindered. The various satellite and ground-based gravity wave observational sites promise interesting information within 10 or so years, some much sooner. -- Owen Owen Densmore http://backspaces.net - http://redfish.com - http://friam.org On Jul 18, 2006, at 10:56 AM, Owen Densmore wrote: > Well, Lee does promote a reasonable alternative, Loop Quantum Gravity. > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loop_quantum_gravity > > More on Lee: > http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/bios/smolin.html > http://www.perimeterinstitute.ca/ > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Smolin > > -- Owen > > Owen Densmore > http://backspaces.net - http://redfish.com - http://friam.org > > > On Jul 18, 2006, at 10:30 AM, Jochen Fromm wrote: > >> >> Although I agree that string theory cannot be the final >> solution, I would have expected more from Smolin. It is >> too easy to bash others. That's what politicians do: >> constantly blaming others instead of suggesting better >> solutions. Where is his theory of quantum gravity ? >> His theory of "cosmic evolution" (proposed in "the life >> of the cosmos") is not testable, either. >> >> To explain everything, one has to start with nothing >> (see Russell's new book), and show how everything >> appears or emerge out of nothing. If you start with >> strings, that one may ask where the strings come >> from, what they are made of, why they live in 26 >> dimensions, and why they interact in the way they do. >> I think the most important ingredient for a "Theory >> of Everything" is still good old evolution. >> >> -J. >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: friam-bounces at redfish.com [mailto:friam-bounces at redfish.com] >> On Behalf >> Of Owen Densmore >> Sent: Tuesday, July 18, 2006 6:02 PM >> To: The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Coffee Group >> Subject: Re: [FRIAM] String-bashing >> >> Not yet published, but Lee Smolin has finally had enough with String >> Theory as well: >> >> Amazon.com: The Trouble With Physics: The Rise of String Theory, The >> Fall of a Science, and What Comes Next: Books: Lee Smolin >> >> http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0618551050/104-7070581-5619133? >> v=glance >> >> In this groundbreaking book, the renowned theoretical physicist Lee >> Smolin argues that physics-the basis for all other science-has lost >> its way. The problem is string theory, an ambitious attempt to >> formulate "a theory of everything" that explains all the forces and >> particles of nature and how the universe came to be. With its exotic >> new particles and parallel universes, string theory has captured the >> public"s imagination and seduced many physicists. But as Smolin >> reveals, there"s a deep flaw in the theory: no part of it has been >> proven, and no one knows how to prove it. As a scientific theory, it >> has been a colossal failure. And because it has soaked up the lion's >> share of funding, attracted some of the best minds, and penalized >> young physicists for pursuing other avenues, it is dragging the rest >> of physics down with it. With clarity, passion, and authority, Smolin >> charts the rise and fall of string theory and takes a fascinating >> look at what will replace it. A group of young theorists has begun to >> develop exciting new ideas that are, unlike string theory, testable. >> Smolin tells us who and what to watch for in the coming years and how >> we can find the next Einstein. This is a wake-up call, and Lee >> Smolin- >> a former string theorist himself- is the perfect person to deliver >> it. >> >> -- Owen >> >> Owen Densmore >> http://backspaces.net - http://redfish.com - http://friam.org >> >> >> On Jun 24, 2006, at 8:07 AM, Robert Holmes wrote: >> >>> Here's a fun string-bashing article: >>> http://www.nwfdailynews.com/articleArchive/jun2006/notevenwrong.php >>> >>> It makes a couple of serious points though. What I found worrying >>> was the >>> claim (for which the author provides some limited evidence) that it >>> is now >>> impossible to get on in physics academia unless you drink the >>> string theory >>> kool-aid. Whither (or should that be wither) academic freeedom? >>> >>> Robert >>> ============================================================ >>> FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv >>> Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College >>> lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org >> >> >> ============================================================ >> FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv >> Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College >> lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org >> >> >> ============================================================ >> FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv >> Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College >> lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org > > > ============================================================ > FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv > Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College > lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org |
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