Peter Woit: String Theory and the Crisis in Physics

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Peter Woit is a senior lecturer in the Department of Mathematics at Columbia University, where he researches quantum field theory and quantum gravity. Peter is one of the most well-known critics of string theory, and in this episode he and Robinson discuss his work and research in the area, which is encapsulated in his book Not Even Wrong: The Failure of String Theory and the Search for Unity in Physical Law (Basic Books, 2007), as well as his website by the same name. More particularly, they talk about the standard model of particle physics, the problem of quantum gravity, the main figures in string theory, the arguments for and against this approach to physics, its many alleged failures, and the future of research in the area.

OUTLINE
00:00 Introduction
02:29 Peter’s Training in Physics
06:21 What Is the Standard Model of Physics? 
10:42 What Is Symmetry? 
21:37 Experiment and the Standard Model of Particle Physics 
26:15 What’s Wrong with the Standard Model of Particle Physics? 
29:36 What Are Grand Unified Theories in Physics?
34:47 What Is Supersymmetry? 
40:15 On Ed Witten and the Genius Mind Behind M-Theory
49:08 What Is String Theory? 
1:04:56 What Is M-Theory?
1:07:59 On AdS/CFT 
1:16:03 On Holography and Quantum Gravity
1:20:27 String Theory and the Sokal Hoax
1:24:09 Peter’s Love of Physics
1:32:13 On the String-Theoretic Landscape and the Multiverse 
1:41:51 What’s the Path Forward for Physics?
1:47:52 Is String Theory the Only Game in Time?
1:53:17 How Did String Theory Become Dominant?
1:56:45 String Theory: Not Even Wrong?

Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, historians, economists, and everyone in-between.
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Great conversation, and I appreciate the high production value - great video and audio.

spurriousgod
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I've been following the not even wrong site for years, it's a withering critique of string theory and especially the hype surrounding it.He's not just a critic, but has his own ideas too - I hope Peter's new theory works out in the coming months

markphc
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Why not invite Ed Witten? He is the strongest proponent of string theory, and he could defend his approach best. I think he would agree that we need to develop better testing to verify some of the outcomes of string theory, but the mathematical framework seems to align with his expectations of a coherent hypothesis. Nonetheless, Peter Woit is absolutely correct in pointing out weaknesses in mathematical form, not just in argument.

alexjbriiones
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Please interview Neil Turok. He has an interesting idea about cosmology.

thomaswarren
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Hi Robinson - thanks for your thoughtful questions and respectful treatment of the subject. I’ve seen some interviews of Peter in the past and they almost always have an agenda one way or the other. However this was a very objective discussion and I quite enjoyed it. I don’t think I agreed with Woit’s characterization of Susskind, but otherwise I think he offered a fair assessment of many topics, while still not hiding from his opinions and positions. Keep up the good work.

ccampo
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Try doing it with Roger Penrose and Gerard t'Hooft. It would be amazing 😍

RajatAgarwal-hl
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Keep going Robinson! At some point, this podcast is going to blow up to a level you deserve.

vogarner
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Awesome interview! Thank you Robinson!

BreakPhysicsDOTorg
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Muchas gracias por entrevistar a Peter Woit, saludos desde Argentina.

rapalma
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Thanks, Robinson! So kind of you to keep helping Podcat put out another wonderful interview!

CurtOntheRadio
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The criticism of string theory I've been waiting for!

JoeLebrick
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Simple wow I didn't know such a people still exist huge thanks

chillyshotorbitus
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That little tree on the whiteboard adds a pleasant vibe to this nice convo.

GoatOfTheWoods
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Actually it all makes perfect sense if Ed Witten is an alien directed by a Trisolarian sophon to put a cap on human progress until the invading fleet arrives.

rightcheer
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Re string theory: "I'm going to keep doing this because I don't know what else to do". Well, I have a suggestion. Base-12 mathematics. Dozenal geometry is on the horizon and will provide an interesting avenue for exploration that will provide fruitful results.

dozenalmath
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It's all about the allocation of resources, intellectual, as well as monetary.

gailnorman
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This particular question is why Feynman said "the easiest person to fool is yourself", so if you know that is a fact, we should begin talking about Methodology for discovering an unfooling one's self in context of Actuality and what to look for.
At the Centre of Logarithmic Time Duration Timing is Singularity-point nothing, positioning Absolute Zero-infinity reference-framing containment of i-reflection oscillation relative-timing Geometrical potential positioning possibilities in the No-thing=> potential nowhere-when Aether in/of e-Pi-i omnidirectional-dimensional logarithmic time-timing interference. (Add) Just for the beginning of the ending=> trancendental transverse 1-0-infinity instantaneous limit(s).., fun to imagine?

Decades before, "the ghosts of departed particles" could easily fit this same categorization of holography-quantization wave-packaging formation of mass-energy-momentum continuous creation cause-effect connection, ie what exists in Eternity-now Actuality Interval, is another aspect-version of Singularity-point Lensing Partitioning shell-horizons in a String Theoretical=> 0-1-2-3ness 3D-T time-timing wave-packaging, potential displacement by Sublimation-Tunnelling, analysis of temporal thermodynamical real-time superposition.

Should be a continuation of Feynman type guessing Diagrams, lectures on Perpetual Motion in abstract Absolute zero, thought experiment fitting Actuality.

davidwilkie
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A video section titled "Is String Theory the only game in 'time'." was a funny 'conceptual slip' by the summarizing AI (or was it manually labeled by you?)

pauloabelha
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Out of curiosity Robinson, how much math training do you have? Not that it matters im just curious.

Billybo
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His intros always feel as long as the interview 😂

SuperMayhem