physics x reality

 a

• Stagnation in Physics: Modern physics struggles to meet the expectation of revealing a deeper, unified reality, facing stagnation despite experimental successes. The field is filled with speculative ideas that lack verifiable evidence, raising concerns about its direction.

• The Search for a "Final Theory": Physicists continue to chase a "final theory" that would unify all of physics, yet many of their propositions, such as dark matter and dark energy, remain speculative and unproven, reflecting the field's crisis of ideas.

• Crisis in Cosmology: The field of cosmology, once seen as the key to understanding the Universe, has encountered stagnation with unresolved issues like dark energy and cosmic inflation. Many aspects of the standard cosmological model remain theoretical rather than empirical.

• The Need for a Pluralistic View: Instead of seeking a single, unified reality, it may be more appropriate to embrace a pluralistic understanding of the cosmos. This would allow for a broader exploration of knowledge beyond physics, including other cultural and philosophical perspectives.

• Limitations of Modern Physics: The belief that physics alone can unveil the true nature of reality has led to a narrow view of the Universe, ignoring the potential insights of other disciplines, practices, and worldviews.

• Physics and Philosophy: While physics has made remarkable achievements, it risks becoming disconnected from other forms of knowledge. Philosophical inquiry should be re-engaged, questioning the fundamental assumptions that underpin physics and its claims to represent the ultimate reality.

• Radical Change in Approach: A more adventurous, humble physics is needed—one that invites criticism from other disciplines and engages with alternative visions of reality, rather than maintaining its current dominance as the ultimate truth-bearer.

• Engagement with Other Disciplines: Physics should explore interdisciplinary collaborations, such as with biophysics and climate physics, and even reconsider its materialist approach in favor of broader, non-physical perspectives. This would challenge the exclusivity of physics in shaping our understanding of reality.

• Alternative Realities: Embracing other realities—such as those recognized in Indigenous cultures, spiritual beliefs, or speculative fiction—could lead to a richer and more complex understanding of the Universe, transcending the limitations of traditional scientific inquiry.

‘It’s akin to knowing everything about sand dunes … but not knowing what a grain of sand is made of’

a

We risk what has been called a ‘post-empirical physics’. In short, a Universe lost to the world

a

We’ve made the mistake of believing that, just because the world can be interrogated by physics, the Universe is fundamentally physical

a

A ‘pluriverse’ asks us to accept that there are many ways in which we may come to know and be in the world

a