Why the foundations of physics have not progressed for 40 years

Sabine Hossenfelder is an author and theoretical physicist who researches quantum gravity, who recently published an article with highlights that are mentioned here.

In the foundations of physics, we have not seen progress since the mid 1970s when the standard model of particle physics was completed. Ever since then, the theories we use to describe observations have remained unchanged. Sure, some aspects of these theories have only been experimentally confirmed later. 

The major cause of this stagnation is that physics has changed, but physicists have not changed their methods. 

This cycle must eventually lead into a dead end when experiments become simply too expensive to remain affordable. A $40 billion particle collider is such a dead end.

The consequence has been that experiments in the foundations of physics past the 1970s have only confirmed the already existing theories. None found evidence of anything beyond what we already know.

Instead of examining the way that they propose hypotheses and revising their methods, theoretical physicists have developed a habit of putting forward entirely baseless speculations. Over and over again I have heard them justifying their mindless production of mathematical fiction as “healthy speculation” – entirely ignoring that this type of speculation has demonstrably not worked for decades and continues to not work. There is nothing healthy about this. It’s sick science. And, embarrassingly enough, that’s plain to see for everyone who does not work in the field.

This behavior is based on the hopelessly na?ve, not to mention ill-informed, belief that science always progresses somehow, and that sooner or later certainly someone will stumble over something interesting. But even if that happened – even if someone found a piece of the puzzle – at this point we wouldn’t notice, because today any drop of genuine theoretical progress would drown in an ocean of “healthy speculation”.

And so, what we have here in the foundation of physics is a plain failure of the scientific method. All these wrong predictions should have taught physicists that just because they can write down equations for something does not mean this math is a scientifically promising hypothesis. String theory, supersymmetry, multiverses. There’s math for it, alright. Pretty math, even. But that doesn’t mean this math describes reality.

Physicists need new methods. Better methods. Methods that are appropriate to the present century.

Sabine Hossenfelder, The Institute of Art and Ideas, Issue 84, 8th January 2020

If we put aside prejudice, physics can be transformed and brilliant progress can be made. Today, physics is facing major problems, including quantum gravity and the unification of forces, which have been around for almost a century and are still the open challenges of physics. The question is: why haven't these problems been solved in the last century? The answer is clear and concise, because with the principles and assumptions of modern physics, these problems cannot be answered, and all the efforts of physicists will be in vain. Modern physics is surrounded by quantum particles and the speed of light. In addition, in recent decades, the results of the experiments and astronomical observations have not been consistent with the assumptions of modern physics. So we need to reconsider the assumptions of modern physics.

Physicists have been trying to combine quantum mechanics with general relativity for decades, but have unsuccess. Why didn't they succeed? Where are the drawbacks? To find the answer to this question, we must note that classical mechanics works well for large objects. But large objects are also made of quantum particles. So we can generalize our understanding of large objects to quantum particles. In other words, ignoring the classical mechanics in the unity of theories was not right and we should try to combine classical mechanics, general relativity, and quantum mechanics. And this is far beyond the standard model of fundamental particles.

Explaining how the three theories of classical mechanics, quantum mechanics, and relativity can be combined is far beyond what can be stated here.

Therefore, I refer you to the following book, and here I only mention the titles of the chapters of the books.

Chapter 1: A new look at open challenges in physics

Chapter 2: Old assumptions and new experiences 

Chapter 3: Foundations of CPH Theory 

Chapter 4: Birthplace of Fundamental forces 

Chapter 5: The new answer to the old problems of physics 

The biggest open challenges of physics and solutions: A new approach to quantum gravity and the unification of forces

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B087RM7W7N/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i1

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340999864_The_biggest_open_challenges_of_physics_and_solutions