Lisi argues that he is using a “mathematical trick” from what is called BRST theory, an established formalism used in string theory and quantum field theory, in which some bosons and fermions play the opposite of their usual roles (and are called “ghosts”). But in ordinary BRST theory, ghosts never manifest as detectable, physical particles, so it is unclear how they could do so consistently in the E8 theory.

Perhaps the longest public debate on the merits of Lisi’s theory took place primarily between Jacques Distler of the University of Texas at Austin and Lee Smolin of the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Ontario, the latter of whom had been widely quoted in the media with unqualified praise for the theory. (Smolin says he was quoted out of context.) Smolin had also quickly written a paper suggesting ways to correct certain flaws in the E8 proposal. For the particles in the E8 theory to represent the known particles properly, the combination of smaller groups used to form the Standard Model must be embedded inside E8 in just the right way. Distler had demonstrated in his blog that this is a mathematical impossibility. So far as he was concerned, the theory was dead and not worth trying to resuscitate. Yet argument raged on over details of Distler’s proof and ultimately ended with neither side conceding. Lisi, incidentally, played very little part in these disputes.

Today the theory is being largely but not entirely ignored. Lisi, naturally, continues to work on it, as does Smolin. Lisi says that even if what Distler claims is true, it would only be true for the variant of E8 (“real E8”) originally used in his paper and that another variant (“complex E8”) would certainly work. Smolin argues that the press coverage gave the false impression that Lisi’s proposal was a finished work. “In reality,” he says, “almost every new theoretical proposal is first presented in a way that is flawed and incomplete, with open issues that need to be filled in.... While Lisi’s proposal has exciting aspects, this is the case with it as well.”

This article was originally published with the title Wipeout?.

1 Comments

1. 1. deanlsinclair 12:29 PM 7/20/08

   Jhy nott toss this in to the mix
   ? Here is another Theory of Everything which probably, unlike the surfer dude will be completely ignored.
   The Oscillator/Substance Model, A Theory of Everything
   Summary: This article presents a view of existence as being within a substance, at its triple point, consisting of separable oscillators. As such it gives new definitions of mass, energy, force, gravitation.... Included are possible explanations of "The Big Bang," Black Holes, Neutron Stars.... In terms of this model there is also a warning of possible danger from the Hadron Collider which is due to go into operation in the Summer of 2008.
   
   The "Oscillator/Substance Model of Everything" is a second-generation model developed from the Motion in a Matrix Model.* The key insights of that model were that the speed of light being a limiting velocity of information transfer implied a necessary medium for interaction and that the interconvertibily of mass and energy implied that they were different aspects of the same thing. The original thought was that mass coordinated to point-centered motion and energy to motion along a line. While this seems to be in general quite close to the facts, it was realized that modifying the ideas to mass being motion confined within a surface and energy being a less specific term covering all types of motion, with Kinetic Energy being the type that would be dissipated along a line would be a more usable view.
   If, instead of postulating a fixed matrix of dots as a basis for a model, it be assumed that there be a basic substance which will remain at, or return to its triple-point, the problem of whether the model is dealing with a solid, liquid or gas disappears. At the triple point the substance can act as any of the three depending upon slight variations in conditions. We may even postulate that the triple-point temperature is approximately the temperature of outer space, about three degrees Kelvin.
   Postulating a substance basis for everything, allows us to define a number of things which are otherwise undefined or have "circular definitions." Mass becomes the balance between the motion content of the substance within a particular surface and the remainder of the substance.
   
   WE ARE OUT OF SPACE HERE. if you want to read a version of the whole article see, www. deanlsinclair.blogspot.com

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