PBS SpaceTime presenter

[GreyGeek]

Dr Matt O'Dowd, released a very interesting video on string theory.

[woodsmoke]

My boy, the astronomer, and the whole team assume the correctness of string theory.
woody

[GreyGeek]

Very true, Woody!

As O'Dowd points out, the major criticism of String (Brane) theory is that it is not falsifiable. One cannot leave this universe, take data from another universe, or outside all universes, and then return with that data to this universe for analysis and publication. I find that interesting. It is the exact same charge made against belief in God.

As a commenter in the linked article stated: "String theory as a theory of unification predicts, in the scientific sense, nothing about anything. You can’t rule out the cosmic strings of superstring theory, because the theory is so unconstrained that you can evade any conceivable negative experimental result, by just saying, “there really are cosmic strings, it’s just that their properties make them unobservable by the current version of LIGO”"

Stephen Hawking, in his 1987 "A Brief History of Time", introduced Cosmology by saying it was an admixture of science and philosophy (i.e., it still included the Prime Mover, or First Cause, etc. IOW, God). The term called the "Cosmological Constant" encorporated Faith into the Standard Model. In his final book, using String Theory, he was confident that he could explain the appearance of spacetime, matter and energy at the Big Bang without the Cosmological Constant, i.e., without reference to a First Cause, or Prime Mover. God.

The purpose of the Brane Theory was to eliminate the probability conundrum. The simplist life form on earth, with only 150 RNA pairs still required MUCH more time than the Universe has existed to evolve from inorganic chemicals by random chance. The task of random chances to generate life supposedly improves if, at every decision point of every event on this and any other planet in the universe, a bifurcation results because of the two choices possible at each point. Hence, an infinite number of universes allows for the existance of a universe where every thing is just right for that 150 RNA pair organisim to evolve by chance. Ergo, according to String Theory, Darwin was right. That's why String Theory as an explanation was created in the first place.

[Snowhog]

But to add, as just an audience member (but one who does posses an open mind and the ability to actually think and reason), just because a proposed theory can't be falsified (with current knowledge and tools) doesn't mean it can't or won't eventually be proven. Remember, what we take for granted and accepted 'today', were it to be presented a hundred or more years earlier would be poo-poo'd or declared to be magic or heresy. Just say'n.

[GreyGeek]

So true, but that razor cuts both ways