JRoberts Posted May 3, 2004 Report Share Posted May 3, 2004 What are your thoughts on String Theory? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen_speicher Posted May 3, 2004 Report Share Posted May 3, 2004 What are your thoughts on String Theory? Some of the most beautiful and elegant mathematical structures ever devised by the mind of man. Unfortunately, it has one tiny little problem: it has no connection to reality whatsoever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRoberts Posted May 3, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2004 I will agree with you Stephen on the basis of Philosophy. However, I was wondering if there is any scientific merit in the theory-meaning, could some parts be right and others wrong? If so, which would be correct? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen_speicher Posted May 3, 2004 Report Share Posted May 3, 2004 I will agree with you Stephen on the basis of Philosophy. However, I was wondering if there is any scientific merit in the theory-meaning, could some parts be right and others wrong? If so, which would be correct? My comment was not based solely on philosophical grounds, but on scientific grounds as well. String theory is an elaborate mathematical structure for which there is no experimental evidence whatsoever. It is a mathematical fabrication based on arbitrary speculation, and remains insulated from experimental test by the very nature of the speculations upon which it is based. This insulation from experiment has insured continued funding during the past two decades, and the scam will go on as long as they can get away with it. The real pity is the waste of money which could have gone to valid research. Here is a pointer to a nice non-technical article written by an acquaintance of mine from one of my old alma maters. Peter Woit is a mathematician/physicist who has been quite outspoken against string theory for some time. I do not always agree with what Peter has to say -- indeed, he is not even critical enough of string theory -- but he makes a decent case which the layman can understand in this article. http://www.americanscientist.org/template/...l/assetid/18638 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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