An acronym for a dream, TOE

[Ava202]

Together we can discover or invent the TOE we quest. I will need a lot of help from you. But I propose that ToeQuest is a viable spot to build the collaboration which will produce the TOE.

We are with near certainty all wrong with our present ideas and theories; but we are in good company. Newton was a little off and we can say the same for many. Should any one person attempt to guide us through the fogy forest we will all be doomed to dispute and lost forever. But combined we have the capacity to meet the task before us.

I shall ask a question or suggest a topic of discussion and then post the distillates from your responses and other inputs on my ToeQuest blog. Be brief were possible and keep in mind we shall seek not consensus but look for insight.

My question to relax the mind. To be a party in the quest, to what limit would you not retreat beyond? That is to say in other words, should we all go back to “square one” and proceed from there; where along history’s path will you stop and wait; perhaps for others to pass you by unseen? What is your “square one?”

[Graybeard]

The Standard Theory.

cool bananas ... greg

[Meem]

Sphere One? It's not hip to be square .... wait a minute ... 80's song ... maybe it is.

[Bogie]

Undisputed observation. For example matter and gravity exist. Energy is conserved. The observable universe seems to be composed of galaxies and clusters that are moving away from each other in all directions with no observable center. There are many observations and science has good answers for most of them but there is a point where science fact leaves off and theory begins. Square one for me is to start with observations and known science.

[Ava202]

Best answer? As far as deemed necessary and still farther if need be.

[Ava202]

The widely recognized goal of bridging the valley between General Relativity and the Standard Model has been called the TOE of Physics. Some what tongue in cheek but hope-full none the less the expectation is that such a bridge will shed light on many other puzzles and anomalies.

What could represent that bridge? Keep to physics. Keep it simple. And well defined.

[Bogie]

The widely recognized goal of bridging the valley between General Relativity and the Standard Model has been called the TOE of Physics. Some what tongue in cheek but hope-full none the less the expectation is that such a bridge will shed light on many other puzzles and anomalies.

What could represent that bridge? Keep to physics. Keep it simple. And well defined.

When you say, “keep to physics”, you are putting on a very strong limitation because the current state of physics is “where we are”. What I hope could come from this forum and a group effort like yours is a better personal understanding of what the future might reveal in terms of as yet undiscovered physics from a layman’s perspective. Then as the future unfolds we can see if we got any of it right .

That puts our efforts into the category of amateur speculation about future discoveries with a “what if” slant.

So my amateur answer to your question about what could represent that bridge is, a better working model of particles and forces which would give us a better understanding of the nature of energy, how it is contained in particles, and how it is conserved in all particle interactions. That would then perhaps reconcile the huge disparity in the amount of energy needed in Quantum Mechanics vs. GR.

[Ava202]

Question # 3
What is the relationship between Physics and Mathematics?

[Bogie]

Question # 3
What is the relationship between Physics and Mathematics?

To me there is an element of philosophy to the relationship .

Everything physical that can be observed and understood can be described mathematically. For those things that can be observed and are not yet understood, mathematics can be a tool to improve understanding. For those things that cannot be observed but are suspected, the suspicions can be stated mathematically. The less we understand about something, the more unlikely we are to be able to describe it precisely with mathematics. The precise correlation between reality and our understanding of reality is always in question. It is therefore difficult for there to be an unquestionably precise correlation between mathematics and any physical reality. It boils down to the scientific method which joins physics and mathematics in an ever improving courtship that may never be consummated, lol.

[labelwench]

To me there is an element of philosophy to the relationship .

Everything physical that can be observed and understood can be described mathematically. For those things that can be observed and are not yet understood, mathematics can be a tool to improve understanding. For those things that cannot be observed but are suspected, the suspicions can be stated mathematically. The less we understand about something, the more unlikely we are to be able to describe it precisely with mathematics. The precise correlation between reality and our understanding of reality is always in question. It is therefore difficult for there to be an unquestionably precise correlation between mathematics and any physical reality. It boils down to the scientific method which joins physics and mathematics in an ever improving courtship that may never be consummated, lol.

Is Mathematics then, rather like a branch of language that is useful in the description and measurement of dimensional objects and the forces which act upon them?

Mathematics has the advantage of being precise, which makes dialogue between individuals more likely to be understood, a clear context.