Does String Theory have any value as a TOE?

[mkirkpatrick]

I agree here. String theory has no applications. Neither can it be proved nor can it solve anything. Why are we then taking a mirage so seriously???

That is a good question dipayankar,but then we take time,space,distance,seriously dont
we?And these are all mirages too?????


regards michael.

[dleviwing]

I think a 'points' system would work better than a single vote per person.

Everyone starts with 10 points to spread among to those theories they think are worthy. That way, you can vote on more than 1 theory and give more votes to the one you prefer most.

My Toe is bigger than yours! In fact I have two big toes!

Many have two big toes hanging from their lips.

This selection method would still result in a popular vote and thus opinion (religion) would win over facts (science). Leave the morals and ethics to the religions and the TOE to the sciences.

I agree here. String theory has no applications. Neither can it be proved nor can it solve anything. Why are we then taking a mirage so seriously???

The majority of scientists don’t support it as Dr. Greene’s hype would have us believe. It is popular to the general public who have been lead to believe that scientist do support it. Goes to show what the power of advertising can do. I think Dr. Greene wants to be the JC of science.

[mkirkpatrick]

Come on Dave dont be afraid,what have you got to loose?Lets have some sort of voting
or whatever other system you consider fair,and put it to the test,I am willing to give it a go are you?I will put up my theory,if it fails to make it,so be it!may the best or most
popular theory win.

We can be the overseers!


regards michael.

[5589]

This selection method would still result in a popular vote and thus opinion (religion) would win over facts (science). Leave the morals and ethics to the religions and the TOE to the sciences.

I would say that science is based on opinion of the facts, supported by evidence that is good enough until new opinions are had which is supported by new evidence. [Que reel of follies in scientific thought]

The idea here is to work with and evolve interesting ideas. We could even collaborate on promising ones. It's not so much a competition as trying to advance science et al. in dynamic and interesting ways.

We really do not know what is 'fact' or 'philosophy' when it comes to a TOE. Much of it can be very abstract.

A vote in this case is merely a signal to the community that says, "yes, I think this will work. let's promote it to give it more attention and brainpower" not "yes, this is true"

If we left the selection process up to a few elite ("all-knowing") people then I assure you it would not be very exciting and not many people will participate. There'd be too much politics involved. (Who here cannot think of at least one person that would select not with reason but simply de-select because they did not like another's personality. How is this not 'opinion'?)

By the way.. if we introduce a fair voting process with at least 3 rounds and open the contest up to anyone all over the world, I will donate 4 figure$ to the pot.

Now THAT kind of contest would not only make it interesting, it would make TOEquest more popular.

[theunify]

Here is how the vote would go: 75 % String Theory 5 % Relativity and 20 % divided among the remainder of theories

By the way.. if we introduce a fair voting process with at least 3 rounds and open the contest up to anyone all over the world, I will donate 4 figure$ to the pot.

Now THAT kind of contest would not only make it interesting, it would make TOEquest more popular.

[Lloyd Gillespie]

Here is how the vote would go: 75 % String Theory 5 % Relativity and 20 % divided among the remainder of theories

So that's 75% for insanity___5% for abstract subjectivity___and 20% for normal ideas. Yeah, that's about right.

regards,

[mkirkpatrick]

We can have a vote on this,if we can get an agreement!This seems to be proving difficult.



regards michael.

[dleviwing]

Start a pole that everyone can place their votes.
Something like:
1 Religion will provide the solution to the TOE.
2 Science methodology will solve the TOE.
3 A science and religion combo solution.
4 OTHER

We really do not know what is 'fact' or 'philosophy' when it comes to a TOE. Much of it can be very abstract.

Fact is what we measure and have numbers to support it. What the numbers mean is the theory or opinion. Science philosophy is the paradigm we use to obtain the numbers and guess what they mean. Our current philosophy has wandered into the twilight zone and needs to be dragged back to the classical reality of existence before a real TOE can be achieved.

[5589]

Start a pole that everyone can place their votes.
Something like:
1 Religion will provide the solution to the TOE.
2 Science methodology will solve the TOE.
3 A science and religion combo solution.
4 OTHER

Fact is what we measure and have numbers to support it. What the numbers mean is the theory or opinion. Science philosophy is the paradigm we use to obtain the numbers and guess what they mean. Our current philosophy has wandered into the twilight zone and needs to be dragged back to the classical reality of existence before a real TOE can be achieved.

Our current view of reality is *why* we have no final TOE as of yet.

This view must be changed in order to achieve that goal.

I'd be more up for opening up the floor to specific TOE solutions. Whichever theory proves it is more of a theory of everything that any other, wins. If it is an open contest then more people (and thus more possible solutions) will participate, especially from outside toequest

[theunify]

Great idea; the poll should be a popular vote. We are asking the difficult question of 'if we had to pick a Grand Unified Theory to define the Toe tomorrow which one would it be, String Theory, Relativity, or any other personal theory you'd like to vote for'

I'd have to go with String Theory over my personal theory because String Theory covers a broad range of things which could cover "Everything".