Wednesday, October 11, 2006

String Theory = hot.

So I read an article in the New Yorker today that basically explored the wild, rebel world of contesting the supremacy of string theory. very sexy. it fascinated me not because i can actually comprehend string and M theory deeply enough to be truly fascinated, but because of the comparison of string theory to religion. consider the thought of 95% of the world's physics community falling victim to this cult-like relgion/psuedo-science, adhering by their lives to a theory they can't prove but can "feel" the truth of, worshipping a weird genius leader dude named Witten (who, by the way, started out his career in politics and published an article in The Nation at the age of seventeen. He argued that the New Left had no political strategy in 1968. The MacArthur Foundation sure hit the nail on the head with that one - genius.) to a God-like status. The analogy seems eerily prescient.

Yet I absolutely adore string theory (again, to the extent one can actually adore something they are incapable of fully grasping). the supreme elegance, the unparalled beauty, the endless possibilities, the promise of other universes - it's just so irresistably glamorous, kind of like hollywood in the 50's. Makes me kick myself in the ass for not paying more attention during Mrs. Mattick's AP Physics class, not that that E&M bullshit could have held a handle to magnificent string theory. *sigh*


Just look at this guy! He's got God-like cult leader written all over him.



you telling me this doesn't turn you on?

1 comment:

Jake - KingDead said...

that was a good article

math war!