[dleviwing]

I think Einstein would have considered Brian Greene an intellectual moron.

[davidgow77]

I think Brian Greene has some interesting ways of explaining things, but he can't see the wood for the trees. String theory is actually a theory of how we visualise things rather than a theory of physics. Obviously, because we visualise physical objects it would be easy to assume that String Theory was a physical theory, but alas it isn't.... not until it proves that string exist.


DG

[dleviwing]

DG;
I agree, but you are being too kind. String theory is the "Rap music of science".

[davidgow77]

Ha ha ha ha ha ha !!!!

I think it is just the crossroads where science, philosophy and mathematics meets. I think once a breakthrough has been made in Quantu8m Gravity, then String Theory will become readily more accepted as a science rather than a purely philosophical pursuit.




DG

[Mr. Nobody]

Originally Posted by dleviwing I think Einstein would have considered Brian Greene an intellectual moron.

Perhaps. However, Brian's book is a beautiful attempt to simplify complex theories and to explain the nature of the cosmos in a way that is accessible to a broad audiance. That of course means dumbing down a lot of coveted information and may have lead to resentment from the scientific elite. I have never experienced as much hostility to outside observers as this field seem to have. There are many people out there that know for sure, that have all the answers and have closed their ears to fresh input, even if it is from untrained laymen. I am just stating my impressions of what I have read on chat rooms about his books, and yes, I actually liked it
String theory seems to have hit a plateu, I agree and quantum loop appear to be more promissing at this point, however, one never knows what comes next.

[davidgow77]

I am inclined to agree with Mr Nobody on this point. If it weren't for BG's quite amazing ability to contextualise String Theory into a format that is broadly understandable by those who have no academic physics background, then I would certainly be struggling to understand alot more of the contexts than I do now. The Elegant Universe (Greene's excellent book) is a must read for everyone interested in String Theory, irrespective of whether you think String Theory is a philosophy, a branch of physics, a load of rubbish or whatever.



DG

[dleviwing]

DG;
I'm sure Mr. Greene means well and thinks he is educating the masses each time he deposits his royalty checks.

[Guille]

Brian Greene is a good scientific writter. Imagen, he is actually capable of making hundred thousands of people believe that there is a theory that is going perfectly well and that is just, just about to be completed and explain everything in the universe... He convinced myself. He is good simplyfying. I would like to discuss with him several points of string theory, if we manage to have him in a chat.

But I also think that string theory, and so, Brian Greene, and so, the elegant universe, are WRONG. I personally don't think about what Einstein would think about someone, not really, I don't think about what anybody would think about someone. But brian greene has a great head, he is an amazing mathematician, but since mathematicians entered physics, I think that this science has gone downwards, because it's not so much about numbers, it's beocme a brach of math nearly.