String Theory: Not Even Wrong

A year or so ago, I read a fascinating book by mathematician Peter Woit entitled Not Even Wrong, subtitled "The Failure of String Theory and the Continuing Challenge to Unify the Laws of Physics".

Woit makes a compelling argument characterizing the current field of theoretical particle physics as a cult devoted nearly exclusively to following string theory despite the fact that the theory has failed over the past thirty years to make any real progress in going beyond the standard model. Thirty years later, it still appears that graduate students are advised that they leave the field at their peril.

This story is personally relevant as I earned my Ph.D. in string theory from the University of California at Berkeley in the fall of 1992, and have had similar suspicions since leaving the field. This is the first time, however, that I have seen the arguments so cleanly laid out. It certainly has been frustrating to sit by and watch as proponents of the field (such as Brian Greene and Michio Kaku) continue to speak overly optimistically about the progress being made in the field.

A great read!