What do you think of String Theory?

[sampson x]

I want to know what you guys think of String Theory, or Super-string Theory. I only know a very little about it from a special that NOVA did on it, but from the little I know, it fascinates me.

Personally, it just shows even more of God's wonder and how he put this world together, but then, I don't know that much about it. Is there anyone here who might know more about it that would like to say what they think of it and how it might impact our lives as Christians?

 

[Late_Cretaceous]

There is an alternate thoery called Loop Quantum Gravity which seems to explain some of the same phenomenon in a different way. Although I am not really well versed, it approaches things from a different perspective. Some believe that an amalgam of the two - apparently competing - thoeries may lead to a more comprehensive and complete framework.

Facinating stuff, but kind of hard to truely appreciate.

 

[shernren]

Well, with regards to Origins Theology, string theory is another piece of the edifice of quantum mechanics which tells us that barring miracles, 6,000-year-old samples do not display radiodates of millions of years across different isotopes and elements.

 

[vinoth316]

Every quantum mechanics dream is to find the holy grail "The theory of everything". They propose many theories(many could be true) to explain spheres of the creation. Even if they are able to put into a concrete form the entire creation, they would only be able to describe the physical facets and leave the spiritual part out.

Even the physical part would only describe the almightiness of our God.

 

[StuckRags]

A good read for understanding string theory is "Hyperspace" by Michio Kaku. I understood it when I read it. Unfortunately, my retention stinks when it comes to the details of string theory.

 

[sampson x]

Thanks for the input. I'll try to find that book somewhere.

 

[Diamonds2004]

Yes, I have seen the episode on NOVA about String Theory. Unfortunately, it is too much speculation and not enough theory. (It is possible to say that?)

Speculation, specifically addressing quantum mechanics and String Theory, is a bunch of hyptheses strung to together. HA HA! There's a pun. Ok, back on track.

Theory is having actually physical numbers from observation of phenomenon in the field or experiments and then trying to explain why the data is this way. At the very least you have physical data from physical processes. String theory is too much specualtion with little or no data as is currently known to me or agreed upon and reviewed by physicists as peers.

Notice that the NOVA episode is so weird in the narrator guy with special effects that it is popularized entertainment for the masses. It is not about serious science. So, I just don't buy it. The theory has to have more real numbers, not just mathmatical imperical and theorized results.

 

[sampson x]

Yeah, it was pretty speculative, but that's mostly just because the things that would show that there are strings are so tiny and hard to detect that well, we haven't found them yet. I'd like to see the actual math that went into this so I'd know better. I might get the book that the NOVA special was based on.

 

[shernren]

Whoa. The "actual math that went into this" is probably somewhere between degree and postgrad level. Or do you want to become a scientist, like me?

 

[Late_Cretaceous]

No, you see. If Bill Nye the Science Guy acts like a goof on TV while demonstrating a scientific concept like light refraction, then that means that the actual science of light refraction is goofy with no math to back it up. Sorry Newton.

 

[sampson x]

Whoa. The "actual math that went into this" is probably somewhere between degree and postgrad level. Or do you want to become a scientist, like me?

Actually, it is something I'm considering. I like the natural sciences. Actually, I like anything that integrates mathematics, logic, and science. I think I might also enjoy electrical engineering, but I'm not going to make any decisions at just this point.

 

[shernren]

Go into physics, then!

 

[sampson x]

Go into physics, then!

Yes...I was considering that. I wish our school still offered AP Physics.