What makes physics so fascinating and appealing?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion explores the reasons behind the fascination and appeal of physics among participants. It touches on various aspects of physics, including its fundamental nature, connections to philosophy and mathematics, and personal experiences that sparked interest in the subject. The conversation encompasses both theoretical and experiential perspectives on physics.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested
  • Meta-discussion

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express that physics is appealing due to its connection to the fundamentals of nature and its relationship with philosophy and mathematics.
  • Others highlight the excitement of quantum physics as a significant factor in their interest, noting its non-intuitive nature.
  • Several participants mention the satisfaction derived from understanding how things work and the moments of clarity that come with solving complex problems.
  • Some contributors reflect on their personal journeys with physics, including initial struggles with math and later discoveries of joy in learning the subject.
  • A few participants emphasize the emotional connection to physics, likening it to poetry or purity of thought, while others express a more pragmatic view of problem-solving.
  • There are mentions of the importance of physics in understanding other sciences, such as chemistry and biology.
  • Some participants share anecdotes about their childhood curiosity and experiences that led them to explore physics further.
  • One participant humorously states that they do not love physics, suggesting a more logical or detached perspective.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the appeal of physics but express a variety of personal reasons and experiences that contribute to their interest. There is no consensus on a singular reason for the fascination with physics, as multiple competing views and sentiments are present throughout the discussion.

Contextual Notes

Some statements reflect personal experiences and subjective feelings towards physics, which may not be universally applicable. The discussion includes varying levels of mathematical understanding and its perceived importance in grasping physical concepts.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to individuals exploring the motivations behind studying physics, those considering a career in STEM fields, or anyone curious about the emotional and intellectual connections people have with science.

  • #31
Originally, I am similar to many of other people, love the fact that Physics explains the why and how. But the more I am into this field, the more questions I have. And at the end, I am stuck in here.
 
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  • #32
millitiz said:
Originally, I am similar to many of other people, love the fact that Physics explains the why and how. But the more I am into this field, the more questions I have. And at the end, I am stuck in here.
Theoretical Astrophysics and Cosmology will lead you even farther astray. That way lies madness.

Physical sciences and engineering-related studies are well-grounded.

Unfortunately for me, I am drawn to astrophysics and galactic gravitational interaction. It's a touchy area, after Halton Arp lost all his observing time. He found that apparently-interacting galaxies sometimes had redshifts that would preclude actual interaction in the popular cosmological model. Instead of re-considering BB cosmology and possibly making adjustments based on some model of intrinsic redshift, the time allocation committee just cut him off. Too bad. One of the best observational astronomers of the century being shut out by theorists.
 
  • #33
The problem with cosmology is that we lack a way to make qualitative meassurements. Ideally we would want to be able to move a few light years away and look back at ourself to see how the distant gravitational field behaves.

Kinda the same as how we can't look at the smallest of things is a problem for the standard model.
 
  • #34
People often ask me why I want to be a physicist, to which I reply: A physicist is just a kid who never outgrew the "why?" phase. :)
 
  • #35
Pyrrhus said:
In my case, I just like math. Physics just happened to be in my way... :wink:

OMG! OH MY GOD! I swear this was posted by.. ughh! I don't recall his name, but I am defenatly positive it's not by Pyrrhus... Am I losing it? :cry:
 
  • #36
Dethblight said:
People often ask me why I want to be a physicist, to which I reply: A physicist is just a kid who never outgrew the "why?" phase. :)

I like that answer.
 
  • #37
Vagn said:
I like that answer.
That is a classic Feynman-like answer. Read what he had to say about his conversations (as a child) about why a ball rolls to the back of a wagon when you pull the wagon forward. What is inertia and why does it work the way it does?

Feynman made some pretty pointed distinctions between what we assume that we know and what we understand at a level that is more fundamental. He's a guy that was always willing to ask "why" one more time than a 4-year-old.
 
  • #38
Physics is everything. Physics is nature, to me, physics can be summed up completely with the word "why."
 
  • #39
I don't like it because I'm childish and hate getting answers wrong.

Aside from that, I really love the concepts. Very interesting school of thought involved with physics.
 
  • #40
Danger said:
To me, it represents purity of thought. No religion, no politics, no psychology... no human variables. Math falls into the same category, but I have no understanding of it.

Agreed! :approve:
 
  • #41
 
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  • #42
drizzle said:
OMG! OH MY GOD! I swear this was posted by.. ughh! I don't recall his name, but I am defenatly positive it's not by Pyrrhus... Am I losing it? :cry:

Perhaps, because it was posted by me :smile:.

For what's his name, here's the clue: it flows through an ouroboros.
 
  • #43
Because it is intereseting and fun.
 
  • #44
Pyrrhus said:
Perhaps, because it was posted by me :smile:.

For what's his name, here's the clue: it flows through an ouroboros.
I don't know, I remember it sounds like Cyc**l**m. Good to know it's you though. :biggrin:Edit: Haha! Hello Cyclovenom. :biggrin:

Just out of curiosity, does your new name mean anything or do you try to make it sounds like Cyrus? :rolleyes:
 
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  • #45
Because majoring in Physics, got me a job. :biggrin:
 
  • #46
Physics explains how the universe. Its very interesting to learn the reasons why something does what it does. Ahh the beauty of Physics.
 
  • #47
Physics is discovering the universe around us, the questioning of how things works and why they do. It gives us a deeper understanding of our surroundings, and, ultimately, ourselves.

I think the people who really love physics are the people who always asked questions, and were never satisfied until they fully understood the answer. It's not satisfying to know that something works; you have to know how and why. This develops into the urge too do physics.

As Carl Sagan once said, “Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.” That, to me, is physics: discovering how incredible the universe we inhabit really is.

I don't think we'll ever fully understand the universe, and I wouldn't want to. Then, there would be nothing left to do.
 
  • #48
drizzle said:
I don't know, I remember it sounds like Cyc**l**m. Good to know it's you though. :biggrin:


Edit: Haha! Hello Cyclovenom. :biggrin:

Just out of curiosity, does your new name mean anything or do you try to make it sounds like Cyrus? :rolleyes:

Just decided it was time for a name change, that's all :approve:. Look up Pyrrhus
 
  • #49
Winzer said:
:smile:
I almost threw up from laughing so hard. Where did you get this?

:smile:
 
  • #50
I like physics cause it's an intellectual game, and I like the challenge to understand how this game of life works out.
 
  • #51
i love physics as it humbles me like no other field, its a pity that certain unamed groups of zealots try to dumb us down with 'super natural' theories.
anyhoo, looks like i have 6+ months of reading material ahead because of previous threads/posts that will certainly enlighten me.

im so happy i found intelligence (being this forum)... made my decade :)
 
  • #52
ummmmmm.....


It's indescribable... It's ... physics...


What type of physics interests you all?
 
  • #53
Knowing how matter/energy interacts, having a picture of causality.
 
  • #54
most other subjects are way too subjective / boring.
 
  • #55
Physics is just so effing cool. And the Universe is just so interesting; nothing else compares.
 
  • #56
Physics being the most fundamental of the three disciples of the sciences, reflects everything from how matter works to the system of nature. I believe mathematics is the language of nature, and so far every concept in physics can be derived from simple formulae to complex formulae with functions within functions . I enjoy every aspect of physics in terms of Classical Mechanics ( which is to me pretty much common sense since Carl Sagan and Bill Nye showed it to me when I was 5), EM ( interesting how leptons and it's gauge boson the photon works, once you think about it, it is SO elegant), QM ( intriguing nonetheless, wave functions, probabilities, and STILL struggling with asymmetric wave functions ), SR and GR ( concepts of time dilation and length contraction is just mind blowing using one of EM's mathematics, The Lorentz factor) and I could barely understand String theory , and so MUCH MORE to learn about the universe. I can't wait to go to College !
 
  • #57
Physics is absolutely breathtaking. when you see a simple experiment for the first time and you think something will happen and then you have a couple of sleepless nights trying to figure it out. the double slit experiment or boiling water to freeze it . And how some equations of physics are so simple like Gauss's law and Faraday's law.
And i still get chills every time i drop a magnet down a copper pipe. Physics at time almost seems magical.
 
  • #58
I used to like physics, because it felt like it was about understanding the laws of nature.

But then it became clear to me that academic physicists have already abandoned their interest to the laws of nature, and that they have reduced physics into a mere religion. Physics now used as a tool to manage social hierarchy inside academic institutions (like other religions are in other organizations). So I'm not really interested in physics anymore.
 
  • #59
Physics translates my world into a heaven of symbology.
 
  • #60
It's because it's the only thing I can do. God didn't make me a writer.
 

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