Whatever happened to Occam's Razor?

[mouseman]

I'm just wondering, with all these theories out there (M-theory, tachyons, anti-particles, etc., etc.) aren't they ignoring the Laws of Economy?

Be advised my question is not trying to infer that I have any alternatives, I am just asking out of curiosity.

Thank you kindly for your most appreciated time.

 

[Hurkyl]

Occam's razor says that among various solutions we should choose the simplest.

The problem is that, in some domains, we're still at the zero solution stage! Can't apply Occam's razor when there's nothing to apply it to.

Hurkyl

 

[mouseman]

Ahhh I see. Thanks I didnt think of that.

 

[selfAdjoint]

Plus, Occam says not to multiply entities without a reason. There are reasons to think physics exists beyond the standard model. For example the SM doesn't say why the particles have the masses they do. That the particles have mass at all is explained (sort of) by the Higgs mechanism, but why those particlular numbers come up is not explained.

So physicists are motivated to think of physics beyond the SM, and that's what all the strings theory and supersymmetry and so on is, just trying to see what consistent physics at those high energies can exist.