I don't think I was the target demo for this one, but it was surprisingly digestible, enjoyable even! I loved the philosophical focus on issues that praise such a heavy hand in linear progression, while also illuminating the potential flaws of progressivism in the first place. We need to question without expectation, and hearing it from such a reputable source only added to my personal academic fire. This is one I picked up at the library and walked around town reading; I don't know that I'll add it to my Christmas list, but it's not one I'll forget about.

The Trouble With Physics by Lee Smolin
4 stars

String theory has long been the most exciting field in not just physics but all of science. It has a certain elegance to it in the way that it could potentially explain how our universe (and indeed maybe multiverses) works. Over the past 30 or so years it has been the dominant field of study for theoretical physicists. By dominant I mean that if you're not serious about studying it then your career in theoretical physics is in peril. Lee Smolin argues that this is an issue in physics we have to overcome if we want another revolutionary period of science that may finally answer those pesky questions that have plagued us for many years. Smolin starts by outlining the five major problems that need to be solved in theoretical physics. He then goes on about past unifications in science. Then he talks about efforts in the past 25 years that haven't been as fruitful as those in years before, most notably the absence of major breakthroughs in string theory. He then outlines why string theory being as dominant as it is is a problem and what should be done in universities to solve it.

When I first heard of this book I was at first skeptical if it would be reliable. When I started reading it and realised it was written by a theoretical physicist that immediately gave it more credit. It helped that while Smolin is highly critical of the current state of string theory and science in general, he is extremely balanced and often brings up counter arguments for his own points. This is important because, as Smolin states, we are at a stage where there is a rift between string theorists and those who prefer alternative approaches. Friendships can be broken, grants and jobs at universities denied. Smolin also explains the scientific parts of the book really well so that it is easier for laypeople to understand the theories. Even so, some of the science went over my head. This book was published in 2006 so it is beginning to become a little out of date, but that detracts little from its message. A couple of examples are that Smolin talks of upcoming experiments and projects such as GLAST (Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope), LHC (Large Hadron Collider) and the Auger observatory. However, I'm not an expert when it comes to theoretical physics, nor have I been keeping up with the news as much as I should have been, so I am not about advances that have been made since the publication of this book. I do know that scientists may soon (maybe in 2012) know definitively if they have observed the Higgs boson in collisions in the LHC. Whatever happens there is still much to be discovered and if we want to progress in the best way possible we have to be open to diverse views and be more willing to take risks in the academic world. This is a truly valuable message and as possibly a future phyicist myself (I have little idea what I'm going to do with my future!) I will endeavour to uphold and hope that it will be embraced by others.

The Trouble with Physics is that it's complicated. Really, really complicated. I finally gave up the fight. I'm fine with physics up till about Einstein, and even that is a bit tough, but this lost me. The writing was entertaining and pretty clear, but the concepts were mind-boggling. It would have helped if he had included a glossary of all those weird terms - Higgs boson, lepton, etc - and maybe a timeline of physicists and their discoveries, so I could reference all the names. But really, I just don't understand this string theory stuff, and the more I think about it, the more my brain hurts.

I'm not sure who I would recommend this to. If you are already interested in string theory, pro or con, you have probably already read this book. If you are like me, just interested in science in general, but with no formal training, you'll probably be lost a few chapters in. But if it sounds good, by all means, give it a try. I don't think it was the writing that was the problem. It's just that my brain is now tied in knots. Or donuts. Or wormholes. Or something like that.

Enjoyable read overall... it's very conversational, and outlines some of the "sociological" problems Smolin observes in the Physics world today.

Quite an amazing book. It took a while to get through everything as a majority of concepts where well over my head. Lee, however, does a fairly good job at explaining the ramp-up to string theory as well as the basics. He then comes in with thought out criticisms and a variety of solutions that the scientific community could utilize. Overall, it is a great read for anybody that wants to see what goes on within the physics community.

Not just a critique of string theory; a critique of theoretical physics as it stands and of the way science is done. This book does give a good (if now somewhat outdated) introduction to the major concerns of string theory, but the true purpose of the book is in the last few chapters and Smolin's reports on what it is to be a theoretical physicist.

Fairly thick, but pretty good stuff.

http://denizyuret.blogspot.com/2010/04/trouble-with-physics-by-lee-smolin.html

Apart from some overly detailed sections about particular physics theories, this was an informative insider's view into the structure and processes of the physics community. I totally understand what Smolin is saying about the flaws in the system. It sounds like physics has streamlined and backed itself into a corner out of which its own system is preventing it from breaking free. It sounds kind of cultish, tbh. I thought Smolin made a good effort at suggesting practical ways to fix the problem, but idk that they'll work, since the 'system' is not owned and operated by one (open and honest) entity - it's a culture that by design culls those who question and could help it. Welcome to the Church of String Theory.