Not Even Wrong: The Failure of String Theory and the Search for Unity in Physical Law - Hardcover

Woit, Peter

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0465092756 ISBN 13: 9780465092758

Publisher: Basic Books, 2006

Synopsis

At what point does theory depart the realm of testable hypothesis and come to resemble something like aesthetic speculation, or even theology? The legendary physicist Wolfgang Pauli had a phrase for such ideas: He would describe them as "not even wrong," meaning that they were so incomplete that they could not even be used to make predictions to compare with observations to see whether they were wrong or not. In Peter Woit's view, superstring theory is just such an idea. In Not Even Wrong, he shows that what many physicists call superstring "theory" is not a theory at all. It makes no predictions, even wrong ones, and this very lack of falsifiability is what has allowed the subject to survive and flourish. Not Even Wrong explains why the mathematical conditions for progress in physics are entirely absent from superstring theory today and shows that judgments about scientific statements, which should be based on the logical consistency of argument and experimental evidence, are instead based on the eminence of those claiming to know the truth. In the face of many books from enthusiasts for string theory, this book presents the other side of the story.

About this title

Review:

"Highly readable, accessible and powerfully persuasive" (John Cornwell Sunday Times)

"Will embolden other string critics to speak up and encourage talented young physicists to pursue other lines of research" (John Horgan Prospect)

"Compulsive reading" (Roger Penrose)

"It's a call to arms" (New Scientist)

From the Publisher:

'Peter Woit's book Not even Wrong is an authoritative and well reasoned account of string theory's extremely fashionable status among today's theoretical physicists...I regard it as an important book.' Professor Sir Roger Penrose, author of The Road to Reality.

About this edition

• Publisher: Basic Books
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0465092756
• ISBN 13: 9780465092758
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 320