Quantum Gravity & Theories of Everything: A New Direction?

[ranyart]

Oh Yes!..I see someone has re-defined the thread heading from:Strings, Branes, & LQG..to:Quantum Gravity & Theories of Everything!

Either someone has attributed that there is a New Leader?..in the much debated recent forums discussions..or it is generally accepted that recent papers are leading to this conclusion?

 

[marcus]

Originally posted by ranyart
Oh Yes!..I see someone has re-defined the thread heading from:Strings, Branes, & LQG..to:Quantum Gravity & Theories of Everything!

Either someone has attributed that there is a New Leader?..in the much debated recent forums discussions..or it is generally accepted that recent papers are leading to this conclusion?

I don't hear any slant or bias in one direction or another only a logical statement of topics. Actually it's two separate topics---theories of everything (all the particles and forces) are a much more ambitious undertaking than efforts focused on gravity.
The management may actually have favorites or preferences, but this
name for the forum (really two names lumped together) seems
objective to me. But you may hear more nuances than I do.

 

[ranyart]

Originally posted by marcus
I don't hear any slant or bias in one direction or another only a logical statement of topics. Actually it's two separate topics---theories of everything (all the particles and forces) are a much more ambitious undertaking than efforts focused on gravity.
The management may actually have favorites or preferences, but this
name for the forum (really two names lumped together) seems
objective to me. But you may hear more nuances than I do.

I understand that headings change for a better generalization, but I am pretty sure that some would (those ST-ists that feel a threat to their theory) see this as a downgrading of Stringtheory( being that if you ask any stringtheorist about the importance of ST, they mostly comment:It is the only true Theory of Everthing?)

I can buy that the forum administers are actually just improving the heading context..but in the current climate?..no way!

 

[Mentat]

Originally posted by ranyart
I understand that headings change for a better generalization, but I am pretty sure that some would (those ST-ists that feel a threat to their theory) see this as a downgrading of Stringtheory( being that if you ask any stringtheorist about the importance of ST, they mostly comment:It is the only true Theory of Everthing?)

I can buy that the forum administers are actually just improving the heading context..but in the current climate?..no way!

Well, Smolin did refer to String Theory as one of the contenders for the theory of Quantum Gravity, in his book; but he also said that the search for the ToE is basically equivalent to the search for the theory of QG.

Anyway, I (though a huge SMT enthusiast) like the change in name, since it doesn't (in my mind) promote one theory above another (which is only fair to the underdogs working on LQG! ).