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The Trouble With Physics: The Rise Of String Theory, The Fall Of A Science And What Comes Next (2008)

by Lee Smolin(Favorite Author)

3.94 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

0141018356 (ISBN13: 9780141018355)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

Penguin Books

review 1: I was prepared not to like this book, but I enjoyed it very much. The author does a very good job at summarizing the state of physics in 2007 and the influence of string theory as of that point in time. He does an excellent job of explaining physics and does a good job of putting string theory into its proper context. He starts off with the five major problems haunting physics (measurement problem, where do constants come from, grand unified theory, and two things) and explains what they mean in detail.He does mention that it's easy to knock something down without putting forth alternatives. The last third of the book is his attempt at giving alternatives. If audible makes available the authors current book "Time Reborn", I would get it in a heart beat. The author is that ... moregood at explaining science and the most enjoyable part of this book was the last third of the book where he speculates on future alternatives to string theory.A lot of his criticisms he gives to string theory could apply to any science branch. Such as statement that scientist are insular within their specialty and aren't willing to listen to other scientist who are in another specialty that doesn't support their specialty. With that mind, I think when he singled out String Theorist, I would just imagine that he was talking about quantum loop gravity specialist instead.The narrator, Walter Dixon, is one of the few whose book I would buy just because he's narrating, and as usual he didn't disappoint.
review 2: The more I read of Lee Smolin, the more I appreciate him. This book was his warning cry that theoretical physics was entering a cul de sac, and risking having nothing meaningful to say about the nature of reality because of its infatuation with elegant mathematics over testable hypotheses. I was struck by his using the term "postmodern physics" to describe this situation. Indeed, the faddish, fragmented, highly abstract world of contemporary physical theory has its parallel elsewhere in academics. We're all living in the enormous aftermath of some hope for a grand synthesis that never happened. Why would anyone who's not a scientist care about these things? Because science, particularly theoretical physics and evolutionary biology when taken together, is attempting to give us our origin story and our place in the scheme of things without the kind of social coercion and enforced ignorance that political ideology or religion do. It's a tremendously worthwhile thing - if it doesn't become another unaccountable priesthood in its own right. And if it is honest about its limitations - its ability to create useful models of reality, but not to duplicate or replace it. But if science is becoming its own Church, full of careerism, orthodoxy, and arrogance, then its helpfulness is reduced and its danger is increased. Physics has obtained too much power over the physical world not to be humble. Smolin's is a welcome voice of caution and hope from the inside. less

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