In string theory, what are the small strings physically made out of?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the nature of small strings in string theory, specifically what they are physically made of. Participants explore the foundational aspects of string theory, contrasting it with the standard model and addressing misconceptions presented in popular science.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Debate/contested, Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions the physical composition of small strings in string theory, seeking clarification on their fundamental nature.
  • Another participant asserts that, in the standard model, point particles are considered fundamental and not made of anything else, suggesting a similar stance for strings.
  • Some participants propose that strings could be viewed as manifestations of energy, although this perspective is met with skepticism.
  • A later reply emphasizes that popular science representations of string theory are often misleading, arguing that they do not convey the mathematical complexity of the theory and that the term "string" is a metaphor rather than a literal description.
  • One participant expresses a critical view of string theory, labeling it as "mathematical hokum" and suggesting that attempts to understand it may be futile.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants exhibit a range of views, with no consensus on the physical nature of strings. Some agree on the fundamental aspect of strings, while others challenge the validity and clarity of string theory as presented in popular accounts.

Contextual Notes

There are limitations in the discussion regarding the definitions of fundamental particles and strings, as well as the assumptions underlying the interpretations of string theory versus the standard model. The conversation reflects varying degrees of understanding and acceptance of the theory's implications.

AZcristian623
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In string theory, what are the small strings physically made out of?
 
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In the standard model, what are the point particles physically made out of?
(Answer: Nothing)

It's an axiom of the theory, not meant to be explained.
 
Aren't they supposed to be 'energy'?

I wouldn't bother trying to understand anything about string theory. It's a bunch of mathematical hokum.
 
AZcristian623 said:
In string theory, what are the small strings physically made out of?
In string theory, they are fundamental, i.e. not made of anything else. Some other theory might say that they're made of something else, but if you knew of such a theory, you would be asking a similar question about that one instead.
 
It should be highly stressed that what is presented in popular science accounts (Brian Greene or what have you) is a series of vague pictures and analogies intended to convey EXCITEMENT, not understanding. String theory is a deeply mathematical theory and any intuition you might have about a CGI image of a vibrating string will be completely incorrect. There are no "strings" in string theory, at least in any way that you can have an intuition about from every day life. I know very little about string theory, however, my understanding is that the central mathematical extension to the standard model is instead of taking particles to be infinitely small 0-dimensional point one instead attaches a single degree of freedom to them, this degree of freedom is the "string". It's not actually a "thing" like a real string, it's just colorful language (and CGI artists looking for a *wow* special effect with no understanding), the "string" is essentially an additional freedom of motion/physics attached to each point in the universe.
 

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