M Theory

[Catanonia]

I see that Stephen Hawings has backed M theory or the theory of 11 dimensions with the 11th being the M Brane dimensions allowing separate parallel universes to collide and cause big bangs.

When I 1st saw this theory in the 90's I thought, yeah that explains a lot and gives some nice answers. But as with all theories, it was rubbished at the beginning. Infact I thing I put a thread up last year about it in the theory section of SGL

Good on ya Prof Hawkings,

Problem is that is is so confusing with 11 dimensions, parallel universes that it may proof too unpaletable for most to accept.

[themos]

M theory gives no answers, only speculations. It is a non-theory. I did my PhD in 11-dimensional supergravity and I could still be wrong, of course. After all, it is being pursued by some very clever people. Too clever, probably.

[richbyers]

i think (as i think it was prof hawkings who said this?) that the human brain is far too under-developed to understand creation or the expanse of the universse- guess we just got to wait anthor 10,000 years or so

rich

[themos]

guess we just got to wait anthor 10,000 years or so

If 10,000 years will not help cats understand calculus, why would it help us?

[jaquesnoir]

LOL.

You're sounding like Zen, Themos.

[themos]

Look, the theologians of the first millenium were all very clever people, the cleverest of their time. But nobody cares about their elaborate constructions now. Why? Because they were obsessed with the consistency and the grace and the beauty of their thought and neglected to be guided by experiment. Theoreticians today are in danger of repeating that mistake.

[Euan]

Look, the theologians of the first millenium were all very clever people, the cleverest of their time. But nobody cares about their elaborate constructions now. Why? Because they were obsessed with the consistency and the grace and the beauty of their thought and neglected to be guided by experiment. Theoreticians today are in danger of repeating that mistake.

Nice point. There does seem to be a big push in "Theoretical" Physics at the moment

Hopefully things like the LHC will throw a few more curveballs in there and completely change the landscape, and at least people will work more on more experimental data rather than theory

[matt c]

I think philosophy and theology are interesting to read over, but because they incorporate no data from the real world I can find it irritating that people take it so seriously even in this day and age.