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EspañolLEE SMOLIN
(Redirected from The Life of the Cosmos)
'Lee Smolin' (born 1955 in New York City) is an American theoretical physicist, a researcher at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, and an adjunct professor of physics at the University of Waterloo.
Smolin is best known for devising several different approaches to quantum gravity, in particular loop quantum gravity. He advocates that the two primary approaches to quantum gravity, loop quantum gravity and string theory, can be reconciled as different aspects of the same underlying theory. His research interests also include cosmology, elementary particle theory, the foundations of quantum mechanics, and theoretical biology.[1]
Smolin's most famous suggestion may be his theory of fecund universes, also known as cosmological natural selection, which attempts to apply principles of biological evolution to cosmology, suggesting that universes evolve in favor of the production of black holes. Leonard Susskind who now promotes a similar cosmic landscape theory, stated "I'm not sure why Smolin's idea didn't attract much attention. I actually think it deserved far more than it got."[2]
He writes many articles for the popular media, often promoting loop quantum gravity and attacking string theory.
Smolin's 2006 book, ''The Trouble with Physics'', is broadly concerned with the role of controversy and diversity of approaches in the ethics and process of science. It is
strongly critical of string theory and of its prominence in contemporary theoretical physics:
:''The scenario of many unobserved universes plays the same logical role as the scenario of an intelligent designer. Each provides an untestable hypothesis that, if true, makes something improbable seem quite probable.''[3]
The book also focuses on the difficulties faced by current efforts at theories of unification of physics and approaches to quantum gravity:
:''I am convinced that quantum mechanics is not a final theory. I believe this because I have never encountered an interpretation of the present formulation of quantum mechanics that makes sense to me. I have studied most of them in depth and thought hard about them, and in the end I still can't make real sense of quantum theory as it stands.''[4]
The publication of ''The Trouble with Physics'' generated much controversy and debate about the merits of String Theory, and the book was criticised by some leading physicists including string theorist Joseph Polchinski [5].
The following books are relatively non-technical, and can be appreciated by those who are not physicists.
★ 1999. ''The Life of the Cosmos''
★ 2001. ''Three Roads to Quantum Gravity''
★ 2006. ''The Trouble With Physics: The Rise of String Theory, the Fall of a Science, and What Comes Next''. Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 978-0-618-55105-7.
Smolin was educated at Hampshire College and studied with noted physicist Herb Bernstein. He received his Ph.D from Harvard University.1 His mother is the playwright Pauline Smolin, while his father Michael Smolin is an environmental and process engineer. His brother, David M. Smolin, is a professor in the Cumberland School of Law in Birmingham, Alabama.[6]
1.
Smolin's faculty member page from the Perimeter Institute member directory
2. Smolin vs. Susskind: the Anthropic Principle, between Smolin and Leonard Susskind, from the Edge Foundation website
3. Smolin quoted in a review of the work written by Michael Riordan and published in ''Physics World''
4. Smolin's response to the question "What do you believe is true even though you cannot prove it?", from the Edge Foundation website
5. American Scientist review of "The Trouble with Physics" http://www.americanscientist.org/BookReviewTypeDetail/assetid/54416
6. David Smolin's Cumberland School of Law Faculty Page
★ Polchinski's answer to Smolin's answer to Polchinski's review of Smolin's book
★ Lee Smolin's quantum gravity website (no longer available: , but email still works)
★ A list of many of Smolin's published works
★ A debate of the merits of string theory between Smolin and Brian Greene, from National Public Radio
★ The Trouble with Physics Smolin's book website. Almost his new homepage.
Lee Smolin at Harvard.
'Lee Smolin' (born 1955 in New York City) is an American theoretical physicist, a researcher at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, and an adjunct professor of physics at the University of Waterloo.
Smolin is best known for devising several different approaches to quantum gravity, in particular loop quantum gravity. He advocates that the two primary approaches to quantum gravity, loop quantum gravity and string theory, can be reconciled as different aspects of the same underlying theory. His research interests also include cosmology, elementary particle theory, the foundations of quantum mechanics, and theoretical biology.[1]
Smolin's most famous suggestion may be his theory of fecund universes, also known as cosmological natural selection, which attempts to apply principles of biological evolution to cosmology, suggesting that universes evolve in favor of the production of black holes. Leonard Susskind who now promotes a similar cosmic landscape theory, stated "I'm not sure why Smolin's idea didn't attract much attention. I actually think it deserved far more than it got."[2]
He writes many articles for the popular media, often promoting loop quantum gravity and attacking string theory.
| Contents |
| ''The Trouble with Physics'' |
| Books by Smolin |
| Personal life |
| References |
| External links |
''The Trouble with Physics''
Smolin's 2006 book, ''The Trouble with Physics'', is broadly concerned with the role of controversy and diversity of approaches in the ethics and process of science. It is
strongly critical of string theory and of its prominence in contemporary theoretical physics:
:''The scenario of many unobserved universes plays the same logical role as the scenario of an intelligent designer. Each provides an untestable hypothesis that, if true, makes something improbable seem quite probable.''[3]
The book also focuses on the difficulties faced by current efforts at theories of unification of physics and approaches to quantum gravity:
:''I am convinced that quantum mechanics is not a final theory. I believe this because I have never encountered an interpretation of the present formulation of quantum mechanics that makes sense to me. I have studied most of them in depth and thought hard about them, and in the end I still can't make real sense of quantum theory as it stands.''[4]
The publication of ''The Trouble with Physics'' generated much controversy and debate about the merits of String Theory, and the book was criticised by some leading physicists including string theorist Joseph Polchinski [5].
Books by Smolin
The following books are relatively non-technical, and can be appreciated by those who are not physicists.
★ 1999. ''The Life of the Cosmos''
★ 2001. ''Three Roads to Quantum Gravity''
★ 2006. ''The Trouble With Physics: The Rise of String Theory, the Fall of a Science, and What Comes Next''. Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 978-0-618-55105-7.
Personal life
Smolin was educated at Hampshire College and studied with noted physicist Herb Bernstein. He received his Ph.D from Harvard University.1 His mother is the playwright Pauline Smolin, while his father Michael Smolin is an environmental and process engineer. His brother, David M. Smolin, is a professor in the Cumberland School of Law in Birmingham, Alabama.[6]
References
1.
Smolin's faculty member page from the Perimeter Institute member directory
2. Smolin vs. Susskind: the Anthropic Principle, between Smolin and Leonard Susskind, from the Edge Foundation website
3. Smolin quoted in a review of the work written by Michael Riordan and published in ''Physics World''
4. Smolin's response to the question "What do you believe is true even though you cannot prove it?", from the Edge Foundation website
5. American Scientist review of "The Trouble with Physics" http://www.americanscientist.org/BookReviewTypeDetail/assetid/54416
6. David Smolin's Cumberland School of Law Faculty Page
External links
★ Polchinski's answer to Smolin's answer to Polchinski's review of Smolin's book
★ Lee Smolin's quantum gravity website (no longer available: , but email still works)
★ A list of many of Smolin's published works
★ A debate of the merits of string theory between Smolin and Brian Greene, from National Public Radio
★ The Trouble with Physics Smolin's book website. Almost his new homepage.
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