- 2004 -
- Lee Smolin is the author of “
The Trouble with Physics”, 2006. It is
an outstanding book and Lee is a great writer.
His book’s objective is to debunk string theory and to evaluate the
causes of why physics has not made any significant breakthroughs in the last 25
years, since string theory got started, and, 100 years after Einstein’s Theory
of Relativity
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----------------- 2004 - The
Trouble with Physics
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- Lee defines 5
big problems in Physics that have not been solved:
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(1) Combining general relativity
and quantum mechanics . One develops
equations that solve problems for the very large ( cosmic scales ) and the
other solves problems for the very small ( atomic scales ). But, not vise versa.
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(2) Making sense of the
foundations of Quantum Mechanics.
Measurement and observation should play no role in describing fundamental
reality.
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(3) Provide a unification of
12 particles and 4 forces.
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(4) How are the values of the
natural constants chosen in nature?
There are 20 +
15 = 35 natural constants.
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(5) Explain Dark Matter and Dark
Energy
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- Lee’s
frustration is that 25 years with the physics community enamored with string
theory has made zero progress on solving these problems. Why has this happened? In answering this question Lee has answered
the same question for many, many organizations, businesses, schools,
governments, boards and communities.
Managers, politicians, and teachers pay attention.
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- One of the
failures he sees is in getting people to work on the same problem from
different perspectives and to communicate with each other.
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- For example,
a string theory conference will never invite someone outside their group to
speak or present an opposing view. He
sees this as a problem in sociology. (sociology is the study of human
societies).
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- Here is his
characterization of the string theory community:
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Tremendous self-confidence and entitlement to belonging to an elite
community.
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An unusually monolithic community.
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A sense of identification with the group
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A disregard for and disinterest in ideas from those outside the group.
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A tendency to interpret evidence optimistically rather than skeptically.
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- This
characterization interpreted by sociologists is called “ group think”. Group Think always applies the test “
preserve group harmony”, in every decision they make.
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- Group
thinkers are masters at drawing conclusion from incomplete information. If teachers believe they know more than the
best students they teach, they cease to be teachers.
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- Until the
evidence forces consensus we should encourage a wide diversity of
viewpoints. There should be disagreement
as much as the evidence permits.
Disagreeing is being a “team player“. Some general once said, If everyone is
thinking the same then someone is not thinking.”
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- We pay a
severe price for tenure in the academic community Too much job security, too much power, and to
little accountability of older people.
Too little job security, too little power, and too much accountability
on younger people in the prime of their creative, risk-taking careers.
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- Hiring should
be much more tolerant to accepting people with a different point of view, a different background, a different
culture. Grants and scholarships suffer
from the same syndrome as hiring.
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- The task of forming an effective community is
never finished . It will always be
necessary to fight off the dominance of
orthodoxy, fashion, age, and status.
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- Einstein was
not hired be academics because he was not a conformist. He had to become a patent technician third
class in order to get a job. In 5 years
in the patent office he alone created the greatest revolution in physics in a
century. Academia would not accept this
great scientist as a member of their group.
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- Every good
business knows there is a difference between low-risk / low payoff and
high-risk / high payoff strategies. If
you want to run an airline or sell soap
you want the first. If you want to invent
new technologies and revolutionary theories in physics you cannot succeed without
the second.
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- How do you
get University administrators to think in these terms? Administrators set up the criteria for hiring, promotions, and tenure for what they
are and what they want to see in others.
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- They need to widen the net and let a few
revolutionaries in. They need to make
the hierarchy flatter, to give young people more scope and freedom. Create some opportunities for high-risk /
high payoff people.
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- If we can
somehow change the sociology maybe we can solve some of the 5 problems that
remain unsolved in physics. There are
many organizations that could learn this lesson. My boss used to tell me, “ The trouble is we
are beginning to believe our own bullshit”-
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to: ------- jamesdetrick@comcast.net ------
“Jim Detrick” -----------
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---------------- Wednesday, October 3, 2018 -------------------
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