How much farther down a non-observational and purely mathematical tube can theoretical physics surf?

Question

Did Physics die with Feynman? ... Should today's "Theoretical Physics" be called "Mathematical Metaphysics" instead?

Answer 1

Nice question. The culprits are those who believe physics is a tool to discover truth, this in turn leads to the notion of unification of physical law as a noble pursuit, a kind of ultimate Occam's razor. The problem is that physicists are developing models with huge frameworks (11 dimensions anyone?) to try and accomodate all physical theories within this framework. The result is naturally a needlessly complex theory that simply mathematically incorporates all the others, provides no new predictions, and no one can use. A real physicist takes a step back and says, "Oh, you've made a theory with nearly infinite degrees of freedom . . . and you can almost fit it to experimental data? Why am I not shocked? Maybe add a few more dimensions, branes instead of strings (instead of point particles) and maybe you'll do even better . . ."

As Einstein said, "We'll know more and more about less and less until we know everything about nothing."

Answer 2

A good question. As much as imagination, guesses, assumptions(logical, mathematical, and others) and creativity have gone in to make the contemporary theoretical physics so much more is yet to come. The log I said just now can be expanded as long as human kind and physicists co-exists.

In one way we can say brilliance of Feynman kind is no more found perhaps. But believe me Feyman was far greater but he had hardly anything that any university graduate to remember in his physics curriculum. But perhaps people like Hawking or Penrose are part of curriculum in one way or the other. Feynman needs to be a special area of interest only and hence hardly known in the contemporary world as Physics' most popular guy.

Physics always had a thin line of difference and was standing on the abysmal peak where it looked it will fall in to metaphysics. But many famous physicists have disagreed on this point that, physics is closer to metaphysics. Of course, the popular thinker and scientist "Fritz of Capra" some how made it look so, even for the contemporary man who is far removed from religio-mystical traditions and hence metaphysical belief system unlike during the days of Neils Bohr or Nikola Tesla.

Answer 3

There is no looking back...Can you see any light at the end of the tunnel....

Physics went out of early education so kids were not turned on to the world of physics until later then without those skills needed to "think hard"~ to hard for many that is why the decline of physics exists among our educators..You have to catch them while there brain is so young and give them the skills to unfold the world.....thinking skills plane Jane and Dick......

Answer 4

Much farther. Experimental physics will reach its limit long before pure mathematics does.

Answer 5

The tube is bottomless.

Theoretical physics, like the twilight zone, is only limited by human imagination.

It only takes one free thinker with one new concept...
This new concept will trigger a cascade of other new concepts in the imagination of other free thinkers!
.

Answer 6

whilst maximum undergraduate colleges do no longer distinguish between the three, a number of the right universities do. after all, because of the fact of electives, whether you only have a physics significant, that's advisable to start specializing. yet some factors must be made: a million) you could no longer extremely assume to "do theoretical physics" devoid of additionally getting to know quantum mechanics, only such as you could assume to understand differential equations and complicated prognosis. you could no longer extremely assume to concentrate on quantum mechanics lots (as diverse from theoretical physics) till graduate college. 2) Theoretical physics is the toughest to make a profession out of, because of the difficultiy of it (you could must be a appropriate ranked mathematican-physicist to have the skill to pull this off). yet, on the comparable time, maximum of your probabilities of actual making a residing at it may be funded by way of government, no longer in the indoors maximum sector. subsequently, you would be limited to professorship or engaged on great physics initiatives which incorporate CERN or LIGO. 3) Astrophysics is an exploding field, because no longer only technological advances in astronomy is making conceivable for many extra distinctive avenues of be taught (detection of hydrocarbons in extrasolar planets? geology of huge Kuiper belt products? magnetic lines of impact in supernova remnants? the checklist is going on), area exploration seems to be now taking section in a lots brighter destiny than that is been in the previous few moribund many years. Your amenities could be in desire, even in the indoors maximum sector. 4) What became as quickly as an esosteric concern of somewhat little commerical use, quantum mechanics is at as quickly as gaining prominence in the indoors maximum sector, as nanotechnology or quantum computing is being pushed faster than ever. Quantum mechanics is the only useful thank you to "do engineering" at those ranges, so masters in that field can assume to be in extreme call for. Of the three, this could probable be your superb danger of commanding the excellent salaries. So, there you have it, it relies upon on what type of existence you extremely need---the existence of a deep truth seeker, very no longer ordinary and regrettably no longer vulnerable to attain making any profound breakthroughs in the sphere, or the existence of a extra palms-on astro-scientist with a much better danger of turning out to be substantial contributions on your field as component of your profession, or the existence of an industry-pushed and notably paid quantum technocrat.

Answer 7

The major problem with mathematical delving into scientific theories is that too many infinities arise.

Answer 8

Where was Feynman when I needed him to pick my lock for locking myself out inadvertently!

Answer 9

Physics is alive and well at Caltech and other places.