Not Even Wrong: The Failure of String Theory and the Continuing Challenge to Unify the Laws of Physics
- 作者
- 出版社 Vintage
- 出版时间 2007年6月
- ISBN 0099488647 或 9780099488644
- 定价 75.00
内容简介
NotEvenWrongtellsafascinatingandcomplexstoryabouthumanbeingsandtheirattemptstocometogripswithperhapsthemostintellectuallydemandingpuzzlethereis:howdoestheworldworkatthemostfundamentallevelandwhatistheroleofmathematicsinitsdescription?Theauthor'sperspectiveonthisstoryisunusualsincehehasworkedinbothleadingphysicsandmathematicsdepartmentsandholdsveryskepticalviewsaboutstringtheory,thesubjectthathasdominatedresearchinthisfieldforthepasttwentyyears.Thebookbeginswithanhistoricalsurveyoftheexperimentalandtheoreticaldevelopmentsthatledtothecreationofthephenomenallysuccessfulso-calledStandardModelofparticlephysicsaround1975.Despiteitssuccesses,theStandardModeldoesnotanswerallquestionsthatonewouldexpectittoaddress,andforthelastthirtyyearsphysicistshavebeentryingtocomeupwithabettertheory.Whattheremainingquestionsareisexplainedindetail,togetherwiththehistoryofattemptstoanswerthem,includingthespectacularnewmathematicsthathasarisenfromtheseefforts.Lackingguidancefromnewexperimentalresults,physicistshavefollowedtheprinciplethatoneshouldbelookingformorebeautifultheories,andhere,PeterWoitconsiderswhattheroleofbeautymaybeinmathematicsandphysics.Inrecentyearsstringtheoristshavefoundthatthetheoryseemstoleadtoanunimaginablylargenumberofpossibilitiesandmaybeinherentlyunabletomakepredictions.Theauthorexplainswhatphysicist'shopeshavebeen,whytheyhaven'tworkedout,andwhatmaybemorepromisingdirectionsforinvestigation.NotEvenWrongputsthereaderinapositiontofollowthisincreasinglycontroversialstoryasitcontinuestodevelopintheyearstocome.
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