Siteadmin, Bureaucrats, Check users, nsAm_Govt_101RO, nsAm_Govt_101RW, nsAm_Govt_101_ta, nsJudgesRO, nsJudgesRW, nsJudges_talkRO, nsJudges_talkRW, nsTeam2RO, nsTeam2RW, nsTeam2_talkRO, nsTeam2_talkRW, oversight, Administrators
125,794
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Line 11:
Line 11: − There is much debate on whether string theory is truly scientific. Under the [[positivist]] philosophy, models must be [[falsifiable]] (i.e. it must be possible to define an experiment which could contradict the theory) for them to qualify as science, and then they must survive these tests. In more Theoretical Physicists and string theory proponent Michio Kaku relays that string theory may be "too robust" in that no metaphysically possible set of data would invalidate it, thus there will never be a way to test its validity. − The discovery of [[dark energy]] in 1998 was a particularly damaging blow to string theory. It was just the sort of thing that string theorists hoped to explain, and yet string theory cannot explain it. As of today, string theory has attracted strong interest among theorists but has not suggested any critical experiments. + − + + + + +
cleared out liberal bias from the section explaining how string theory is not falsifiable, and also the book criticizing Intelligent Design
==Falsifiability==
==Falsifiability==
String theory is not even scientific, because it is not [[falsifiable]]: string theory can be utterly false and yet there is no test that would illustrate its falsity. It must be possible to define an experiment which could contradict the theory for it to qualify as science. String theory proponent Michio Kaku replies to this glaring defect by stating that string theory may be "too robust" because it is not falsifiable, an obvious non sequitur.
Some string theorists, such as Leonard Susskind, say that string theory may not be testable but may still provide insights on multiple universes. His recent book is ''The Cosmic Landscape: String Theory and the Illusion of Intelligent Design''.
Some string theorists, such as Leonard Susskind, say that string theory may not be testable but may still provide insights on multiple universes. But his book defending string theory appears by its title be a rant against [[Intelligent Design]]: ''The Cosmic Landscape: String Theory and the Illusion of Intelligent Design."
== Dark Energy Confounds String Theory ==
The discovery of [[dark energy]] in 1998 was a particularly damaging blow to string theory. It was just the sort of thing that string theorists hoped to explain, and yet string theory cannot explain it. As of today, string theory has attracted strong interest among theorists but has not suggested any critical experiments.
==Mathematical Predictions==
==Mathematical Predictions==