Final Theory of Everything?

[kenneth3 (deleted)]

I'm surprised that few people have posted on this forum. Let me get the ball rolling. Does anyone believe physicists will come up with a final theory of everything? I think the best candidate so far is Superstring Theory, which I personally don't know much of the details or mathematics.

I read in The End of Sciencethat it would take a machine the size of the solar system to experimentally verify Superstring Theory. Has anyone read Brian Greene's The Elegant Universe : It's sitting on my expansive bookshelf right now. It's a popular book on String Theory.

Another good book is Dreams of a Final Theory by Nobel Laureate Steven Weinberg. But I ask, why all the fuss? Why do we want a theory that depends on no other theories? Will a final theory of everything really make everyday life better for people :

[xira (deleted)]

I think that a final theory of everything will include elements currently identified as metaphysical. I.E. magic.

In that sense yes it will help everyone.

[tm468 (deleted)]

"Does anyone believe physicists will come up with a final theory of everything?"

Yes but not in your life time.

"I think the best candidate so far is Superstring Theory, which I personally don't know much of the details or mathematics."

Personally i don't think this theory will have anything to do with the answer to the basic element of this universe. It's an idea to get there...

"I read in The End of Science that it would take a machine the size of the solar system to experimentally verify Superstring Theory."

They also thought the first atomic bomb would blow up the universe. Everyone has there opinion. You need to understand that a lot of the things they "say" they know, like the structure of an atom. Is currently verified through "Models" and "Experiments".

They make a model of an experiment, the model has the ideas and theories of how the universe is. They do the experiment and compare the model to it. They correct the model until it yields an answer close enough to the experiments results. They then try to refine the experiment and the model. ( atom smashers in the 50's aren't the same ones as today)

"Why do we want a theory that depends on no other theories?"

Theories depending on theories.. is guessing depending on guessing.
Remember theories cant be proven, or it would be called a "Law", they can be disproven but then it wouldnt be a theory anymore =)

Two things that will help humans more than the theory of everything will be the quantum computer and super computers (minus the a.i.)

[supernicegal (deleted)]

I *think* that Godel had some sort of incompleteness theorem that makes a complete theory of everything not work out. I'm not sure about that though.

As for string theory.... any decade now.... maybe they'll actually propose a doable experiement. In the meantime, perhaps they should start getting their funding from math sources. They have made beautiful math. (if not any actual connection to experiment)

Would such an abstract theory be useful? Well, around the end of the 1800's Michael Faraday used Lenz law to invent what is today known as the electric motor (and also generator). When pressed by the Prime Minister (?) (some top politician) William Gladstone who asked, "What use is any of this?" Faraday replied, "Someday sir, I think you'll tax this."

So you know, if you like the power grid and living in an industrialized nation (elecomagnetism, thermodynamics) then I guess spacey physics crap is useful. You can get a picture of the inside of a human's brain without having to cut their head open because of spacey Quantum Mechanics spin. Etc.

Nicole

[sweetsunrise]

Um... no I don't think there will ever be a unified theory of everything. I don't even think it's possible to know exactly what "everything" means let alone to quantify it.

[viviate (deleted)]

Here is an interesting article related to this dicussion. Pretty far-out stuff.

[id10tprotocol_PREV (deleted)]

i dont want to know the final theory of everything its fun to find theories and test them to see if they are true, it keeps people thinking. If we find the final theory of everything think about how many more lazy people there will be on this planet.

[nicenerdydude]

Im a firm believer that it is impossible(thats right i said it) to truly unravel the the general make up this universe. First, if you beleive in superstring theory(which i do) You would have to analyse every single diminsion.After that, maybe we could understand the basic fundementals of this universe. But what then? You have to move on to every single other universe or the multiverse,which is (dare i say it again) impossible. Any universe you can concieve already exists, from a slight deviation from our own, to the ones concieved in works of pure fiction. Its all their. And if you managed the finally beat infinity, theirs still the obscure thing that houses the entire multiverse. its an endless, tangled, entermingling afair that only a being exponentially greater than us can understand. I can get alot more technical people, for this is a subject that fascinates me to no end, but im far too lazy. This is fun, lets keep this up!!!

[gilravadry]

Aside from trying to comprehend the uncomprehendable (i.e. To know the will of God...), the problem with having the answer to everything in a neat and tidy equation is that humankind will eventually stagnate; After getting all the answers and developing new technology based off of said answers, to what do humans strive for after that?

-Ryan

-Stay safe, carry ALWAYS, and when the need is greatest, a 1911 is faster than 911.

[gutz]

`String theory is pretty much non-testable and has made jno predictions. I seriously don't understand why it's so popular. Anything that can't be tested or predict anything has no grounds in science.

I believe that we will one day understand everything that needs to be understood. Anything with a physical bases having a logical reasoning behind it. It's a slow process and even though we are intelligent creatures, we do have limitations. Hopefully one day we find a way around those limitations, the only thing that holds us back is being able to survive long enough to get there.

[slimtheinventor]

`A "Grand unified theory" as it were?