well actually there is only one string theory. It just have five different forms (at least thats what E.Witten says).
Yes ST is not verified in any way there are just several indications that it could be right. Some problems that couldnt be solved with relativit/quantum mechanics have been solved by ST suggesting that it could be a better way to go.
Yes the idea of one dimension or for that matter anything other than four (a bit of a stretch since i really just know how to relate to the three physical dimensions) is puzzling and hard to get. But hey i cant really understand the quantum world either but its something that seems to be proved to exist. Once upon a time people didnt belive in atoms either or that the world is round.
Now they do belive that there could be big strings the sice of galaxies or solarsystems that could be viewed directly or indirectly (by radiaton of sertain particels/energies). But since the only have one dimension and are so big they are hard to spot.
Let me also point out that up till 2004 the academic world didnt really acknowledge that there is black matter. But one of the winner of the nobel price(David J. Gross, H. David Politzer and Frank Wilczek shared the price with their
Quantum chromodynamics) in physics is saying that there is not only black matter in space but also matter that is neither black och light (this third matter is also taking up some 80% of all the matter in space).
So there are some quite astounding claims being validated. For maybe only 5 years ago he would have been kicked out from all the universities and shunned from the academic world for laying something like that out.
Why should the string theory be any different? (but hey it still isnt proven so im not saying anything either way. its just that it seems plausible to be describing the world)
edit: yes i forgot some of what i wanted to write..
Time isnt very easy to understand or explain either. Maybe the reason for this is that its one dimensional?
Just a thought.
ST is akin to being a ad-hoc like theory i must admit. But it has a nice ring to it dont you think? Its all in line with Kant and his "the thing in itself". Its consistent with Sofist ideas about the universe being built on music (vibrating strings). It explains why the quantum world is so chaotic and how this relates to space-time being so calm. It simply seems to answers many questions in a nice way.
This message has been edited by Kraniet, 06-09-2005 07:06 PM