Peter Woit and Joseph Conlon: Is String Theory Still Worth It?

Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal

Curt Jaimungal

Physics, Philosophy, Society & Culture, Science

4.6 • 606 Ratings

🗓️ 28 December 2024

⏱️ 145 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Curt Jaimungal sits down with Peter Woit and Joseph Conlon to debate the merits and criticisms of string theory. They examine its potential as a unified framework, discuss experimental prospects, and consider the sociological forces shaping modern theoretical physics.- 00:00 - Introduction- 03:10 - What Wrong with the Standard Model?- 10:27 - The Axion and Experimental Hope- 15:01 - Critiques of String Theory- 17:25 - Evaluating String Theory's Validity- 20:44 - The Sociological Landscape of Physics- 25:20 - Holography and Its Implications- 29:03 - The Complexities of ADS-CFT- 32:59 - Witten's Influence and Controversies- 36:32 - The Balance of Arrogance and Humility- 40:37 - Structural Issues in Theoretical Physics- 44:20 - The Diminishing Returns of Mathematical Physics- 48:55 - Young Researchers and Career Concerns- 52:42 - The Disconnect from Experimental Data- 56:24 - The Evolution of Theoretical Physics- 59:48 - Challenges Facing the Field Today- 01:02:28 - Future Directions- 01:35:36 - The State of Fundamental Physics- 01:47:07 - Exploring Time Dimensions- 02:07:40 - AI Recap- 02:20:50 - OutroSPONSORS:- I personally subscribe to The Economist. TOE listeners get 35% off the annual subscription. No other podcast has this! https://economist.com/TOERESOURCES:- Why String Theory? (Joseph's book): https://amzn.to/4gSJr42- Origins: The Cosmos in Verse (Joseph's book): https://amzn.to/3Dz887b- Not Even Wrong (Peter's book): https://amzn.to/49T1mFn- Quantum Theory (Peter's book): https://amzn.to/408Jp2h- Peter Woit's blog: https://www.math.columbia.edu/~woit/wordpress/- Edward Witten's recent paper: https://arxiv.org/abs/2412.15549- Strings Conference (2024): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiSDiHgXimR9pHoFPhCDPfDOhreEg8vSp- Istanbul Stringy Meeting (2024): https://istringy.org/ism24/- Physics Today: Edward Witten's 2015 post: https://pubs.aip.org/physicstoday/article/68/11/38/414984/What-every-physicist-should-know-about-string- Peter Woit's previous appearance on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTSeqsCgxj8- Moduli Redefinitions and Moduli Stabilisation (Conlon's paper): https://arxiv.org/pdf/1003.0388- Scott Aaronson on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZpGCQoL2Rk- Brian Greene on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2EtTE9Czzo- TOE's String Theory Iceberg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4PdPnQuwjY&t=1749s- Enjoy TOE on Spotify! https://tinyurl.com/SpotifyTOE- Become a YouTube Member Here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWIQh9DGG6uhJk8eyIFl1w/join- Support TOE on Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal (early access to ad-free audio episodes!)- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt- Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs- Subreddit r/TheoriesOfEverything: https://reddit.com/r/theoriesofeverything Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal features long-form, technically detailed interviews with leading researchers in physics, mathematics, consciousness, and philosophy, exploring topics at the level of active research. For academics, graduate students, and anyone seeking depth beyond popular science. FOLLOW: Substack | Spotify | YouTube | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Mathematical physics has been delivering, which includes a lot of this kind of what strength theorists do, has been delivering diminishing returns for a few decades.
0:07.0	If you're going to do this, if you're going to not have experiment telling you or whether you're right or wrong, it's very easy to fool yourself.
0:13.0	I agree with Peter, but then I disagree. We just see that question very differently.
0:18.1	This is an unprecedented conversation. Today we have Peter White from Columbia University, known for
0:24.5	his trenchant critique of string theory in Not Even Wrong, both the book and the blog, and Joseph
0:30.0	Conlin from Oxford University, author of why string theory, and a radiant defender of string theory.
0:36.4	This remarkable and forthright exchange
0:38.6	covers the technical ins and outs of a theory that's dominated fundamental physics for the past
0:43.4	few decades in a manner that's never been seen before in podcast form. Both agree that the field
0:48.8	of fundamental physics faces structural problems in how it trains new generations and evaluates competing ideas. Yet they
0:55.7	diverge drastically on whether the problem string theory solves are indeed problems it solves,
1:01.2	whether it's as elegant as people suggest, and whether it's unparalleled mathematical divination,
1:06.7	foreshadowing, for instance, mirror symmetry and modularity of partition functions, actually signals
1:12.0	that string theory is on the right track or a seductive dead end. Many in the public jump on the
1:17.5	string theory bandwagon either being for it or against it without knowing the details of what
1:22.1	they're supporting or criticizing. That's why it's thrilling to bring this conversation to you.
1:26.9	My name is Kurt Jaimungle, and on this channel I research mathematical physics and philosophy in front of you in podcast form,
1:33.7	bridging these disparate subjects and making abstruse concepts digestible while not skimping on,
1:38.6	nor being afraid of, the technicalities.
1:40.8	If you're a graduate student and want to fly-by overview of string theory, I have a
1:45.1	three-hour compendious iceberg covering its mathematical details. Link in the description.
1:50.8	Welcome to the podcast, Joseph Conlon, Peter White. Joseph, you're known in the popular sphere
	...

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