Is string theory still worth exploring? | Roger Penrose and Eric Weinstein battle Brian Greene
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Published 2023-07-16
We previously saw Weinstein and Greene battle it out over the string theory community's toxic culture. Today we get to see physicist Roger Penrose join the the dissention, weighing in on whether the once revelotionary theoretical framework is a thing of the past.
Watch the full debate at iai.tv/video/the-trouble-with-string-theory?utm_so…
String theory has been dominant in theoretical physics for thirty years, with more scientific papers arising from it than any other theory. But critics argue the theory has held undue influence and it is an error to pursue it.
Is it time to move on from string theory, recognise that the search for supersymmetry has failed, and seek alternative accounts of the universe that are supported by observation and experiment? Or is the continued dominance of string theory justified by its potential to unify our understanding of the universe once and for all?
#StringTheory #TheoryOfEverythingInTheUniverse #StringParticles
Eric Weinstein is a mathematical physicist and the host of the podcast The Portal. He is the former Managing Director of Thiel Capital in San Francisco and was formerly a Co-Founder and Principal of the Natron Group in Manhattan as well as a Visiting Research Fellow at Oxford University in the Mathematical Institute.
Sir Roger Penrose is a world-renowned physicist, best known for his work on general relativity and sharing the Wolf Prize for Physics with Stephen Hawking for their work on black holes. His books include The Road to Reality and The Emperor’s New Mind.
Brian Greene is renowned for his groundbreaking discoveries in superstring theory and best-selling books. He has been chairman of the World Science Festival since co-founding it in 2008.
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All Comments (21)
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Do you agree wihth Penrose, Weinstein, or Greene? Let us know in the comments below! To watch the full debate, visit iai.tv/video/the-trouble-with-string-theory?utm_so…
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Regardless of the entire discussion, it's truly remarkable to see a man like Penrose, at 92, still flexing his brain and engaging in these subjects.
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If I get to my 92-year-old and remember my granddaughter's name, I will be happy!! Dr. Penrose is a marvelous example of a great mind working!
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Im just a measly engineering student, so I'm just incredibly grateful to be able to watch discussions like these for free, in the comfort of my home. 100 years ago, you would have had to go to this event in person. We can learn so much these days, with such little effort as long as we have the interest.
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I love how Penrose smiles. It's as if he would be 100% happy if string theory ends up being right. It's a smile that says: "Show me what you're made of, new generation!"
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I personally think that String Theory is a cautionary tale of what happens when you mistake Math for Physics.
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I understood next to nothing of what was discussed but I was still totally engrossed.
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I think at this point you should just release the full video free of charge.
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I love these types of discussions and environment. I can't get enough of this type of discussion.
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Give us the damn complete video!!
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My prediction: give it a decade or two after Roger passes away and then his gravitational self-collapse theory will become the norm. Right now the theories are tied to egos and grants and we need that generation to retire... no one wants to admit that someone 'living' got the best theory. Roger's ideas seem the most parsimonious and closest to Occam's razor, and explain multiple mysteries at once. Even if it's not correct on the details, the general geometric framework solving the measurement problem is very appealing.
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Brian Greene is always a gentleman, let's respect that. He's such a fantastic science communicator as well, one of the best out there.
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Listen to Roger Penrose; this man really knows his physics and extremely insightful.
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Without honest scientific debate and disagreement, we'd not have progress. Great stuff from three of the best...
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I love how the argument was made, that String Theory points to a suspicion, that the count of available dimensions is not a fundamental thing in the universe.
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String theory proves the existence of hip-hop level beef within the physics community.
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Penrose is the real genius here in this panel. Why in heavens name did they invite Weinstein? He's a good speaker and scientific entertainer (his own words btw), but it's like brining your cheeky little nephew to an adult conversation.
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This reminds me of when dark matter was first introduced & I first learned about it, the harmony of space but with us not knowing what the glue was holding it together. That’s how I view string theory with GR & how Eric described the baby with the giraffe head.
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Wow, physics is one competitive field! I love seeing these leaders in science and physics. Debating different theories and ideas. It’s fascinating.❤😮
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When I see a debate like this I think of positively charged atoms in the same room repelling each other.
