Sabine Hofstadter Existential Physics

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Doug Mounce

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Jun 6, 2023, 4:01:47 PM6/6/23
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I've posted before about Sabine's view on beauty and mathematics, where she questions the value of `it's beautiful so it must be true'.  Her recent book on Existential Physics has an interesting view on whether we'll ever know how the universe was created.  She cites Laplace in regard to the "unnecessary hypothesis" and that reminded me of Ockham's Razor.  In any case, it turns the tables on a typical criticism of theology that folks invoke the Divine as explanation alongside creation. 

jaraymaker

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Jun 6, 2023, 4:51:11 PM6/6/23
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Doug,
 
Interesting topic. I suppose you're referring to Sabine Hossenfelders a German theoretical physicist, science communicator, author, musician. She is indeed a multi-talented person. One can read the followng appraisals of her Existential Physics on the Net, e. g.
 
The most surprising and interesting feature of the book is the claim that many of her physicist peers are as guilty of bringing speculation and belief into their scientific thinking as theologians and New Age mystics . . . Existential Physics is an informed and entertaining guide to what science can and cannot tell us. If Ms. Hossenfelder is sometimes a little too opinionated, the reader will quickly forgive her. Anyone capable of bridging the concerns of the human world and the baffling complexities of physics has earned the right to be indulged a little.”
—The Wall Street Journal

“You may not have expected this month’s most entertaining book to be about science. Hossenfelder, an acclaimed physicist, not only explains her subject well; she also engages general readers in connecting science with spirituality . . . Read Hossenfelder along with a basic guide to physics and keep an open mind about her conclusions, but most importantly, enjoy the ride.”
—Los Angeles Times           John
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Tony

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Jun 6, 2023, 6:06:08 PM6/6/23
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Doug,John
She does present a case against beauty being a litmus test for reality (Poor Dirac who thought that his antimatter equations were beautiful). Sabine is an on-the-fence agnostic who probably does not want to offend her atheist colleagues. By way of analogy, she fits Vladimir Horowitz 'description of a music critic as someone who could not cut it in the real performing stage. 
As a counter ,please Google the latest Society of Catholic Scientists conference which was held in Los Alamos NM where there was a discussion of beauty from a Thomistic perspective.

Blessings,
Tony

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Pierre Whalon

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Jun 7, 2023, 6:46:03 AM6/7/23
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I do not think that Hossenfelders is incompetent, either as a physicist or a popularizer. I disagree with her on a number of subjects, but I would recommend Existential Physics as a challenge to other scientists in particular.

Pierre

Doug Mounce

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Jun 7, 2023, 8:29:29 PM6/7/23
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Also Planck, who just wanted the equations to work. 

Tony, anything in particular of interest from that conference?  (I couldn't find any proceedings online.)



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jaraymaker

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Jun 8, 2023, 1:38:59 AM6/8/23
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This theme brings back to mind Bernard Lonergan's treatment of the transcendentals, the good true and beautiful. Hans Urs von Balthasar devoted a book on beauty. John Dadosky has "diagnosed"  this theme. I was led to it by googling. Here are the references:
 
"The Eclipse of Beauty and its Recovery", a paper by John Dadosky that can be found at
 
 
John

Am 08.06.2023 02:29:32 W. Europe Standard Time schrieb doug....@gmail.com:
 
Also Planck, who just wanted the equations to work. 
 
Tony, anything in particular of interest from that conference?  (I couldn't find any proceedings online.)
 

On Tue, Jun 6, 2023 at 3:06 PM Tony <ton...@gmail.com> wrote:
Doug,John
She does present a case against beauty being a litmus test for reality (Poor Dirac who thought that his antimatter equations were beautiful). Sabine is an on-the-fence agnostic who probably does not want to offend her atheist colleagues. By way of analogy, she fits Vladimir Horowitz 'description of a music critic as someone who could not cut it in the real performing stage. 
As a counter ,please Google the latest Society of Catholic Scientists conference which was held in Los Alamos NM where there was a discussion of beauty from a Thomistic perspective.
 
Blessings,
Tony

On Tue, Jun 6, 2023 at 2:51 PM 'jaraymaker' via Lonergan_L <loner...@googlegroups.com> wrote:
 
Interesting topic. I suppose, Doug,  you're referring to Sabine Hossenfelders a German theoretical physicist, science communicator, author, musician. She is indeed a multi-talented person. One can read the followng appraisals of her Existential Physics on the Net, e. g.
 
The most surprising and interesting feature of the book is the claim that many of her physicist peers are as guilty of bringing speculation and belief into their scientific thinking as theologians and New Age mystics . . . Existential Physics is an informed and entertaining guide to what science can and cannot tell us. If Ms. Hossenfelder is sometimes a little too opinionated, the reader will quickly forgive her. Anyone capable of bridging the concerns of the human world and the baffling complexities of physics has earned the right to be indulged a little.”
—The Wall Street Journal

“You may not have expected this month’s most entertaining book to be about science. Hossenfelder, an acclaimed physicist, not only explains her subject well; she also engages general readers in connecting science with spirituality . . . Read Hossenfelder along with a basic guide to physics and keep an open mind about her conclusions, but most importantly, enjoy the ride.”
—Los Angeles Times           John
 
 

Am 06.06.2023 22:01:49 W. Europe Standard Time schrieb doug....@gmail.com:
 
I've posted before about Sabine's view on beauty and mathematics, where she questions the value of `it's beautiful so it must be true'.  Her recent book on Existential Physics has an interesting view on whether we'll ever know how the universe was created.  She cites Laplace in regard to the "unnecessary hypothesis" and that reminded me of Ockham's Razor.  In any case, it turns the tables on a typical criticism of theology that folks invoke the Divine as explanation alongside creation. 
 
.

 

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jaraymaker

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Jun 9, 2023, 2:58:55 AM6/9/23
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Hi,
the link  below to a NYtimes article today gives us plenty of details as to ongoing, "mind-boggling" findings in astronony. Theology and the fields of traditional speculation need UPDATING to intelligently discuss existential physics! What would Einstein say and what does Sabine Hossenfelder say that would enlighten us as to ever more "mind-boggling" findings? 
   John

Von: loner...@googlegroups.com
An: loner...@googlegroups.com
Verschickt: 08.06.2023 07:39:00 W. Europe Standard Time
Betreff: [lonergan_l] Beauty and Existential Physics
This theme brings back to mind Bernard Lonergan's treatment of the transcendentals, the good true and beautiful. Hans Urs von Balthasar devoted a book on beauty. John Dadosky has "diagnosed"  this theme. I was led to it by googling. Here are the references:
 
"The Eclipse of Beauty and its Recovery", a paper by John Dadosky that can be found at
 
 
John

Am 08.06.2023 02:29:32 W. Europe Standard Time schrieb doug....@gmail.com:
 
Also Planck, who just wanted the equations to work. 
 
Tony, anything in particular of interest from that conference?  (I couldn't find any proceedings online.)
 

On Tue, Jun 6, 2023 at 3:06 PM Tony <ton...@gmail.com> wrote:
Doug,John
She does present a case against beauty being a litmus test for reality (Poor Dirac who thought that his antimatter equations were beautiful). Sabine is an on-the-fence agnostic who probably does not want to offend her atheist colleagues. By way of analogy, she fits Vladimir Horowitz 'description of a music critic as someone who could not cut it in the real performing stage. 
As a counter ,please Google the latest Society of Catholic Scientists conference which was held in Los Alamos NM where there was a discussion of beauty from a Thomistic perspective.
 
Blessings,
Tony

On Tue, Jun 6, 2023 at 2:51 PM 'jaraymaker' via Lonergan_L <loner...@googlegroups.com> wrote:
 
Interesting topic. I suppose, Doug,  you're referring to Sabine Hossenfelders a German theoretical physicist, science communicator, author, musician. She is indeed a multi-talented person. One can read the followng appraisals of her Existential Physics on the Net, e. g.
 
The most surprising and interesting feature of the book is the claim that many of her physicist peers are as guilty of bringing speculation and belief into their scientific thinking as theologians and New Age mystics . . . Existential Physics is an informed and entertaining guide to what science can and cannot tell us. If Ms. Hossenfelder is sometimes a little too opinionated, the reader will quickly forgive her. Anyone capable of bridging the concerns of the human world and the baffling complexities of physics has earned the right to be indulged a little.”
—The Wall Street Journal
John

Am 06.06.2023 22:01:49 W. Europe Standard Time schrieb doug....@gmail.com:
 
I've posted before about Sabine's view on beauty and mathematics, where she questions the value of `it's beautiful so it must be true'.  Her recent book on Existential Physics has an interesting view on whether we'll ever know how the universe was created.  She cites Laplace in regard to the "unnecessary hypothesis" and that reminded me of Ockham's Razor.  In any case, it turns the tables on a typical criticism of theology that folks invoke the Divine as explanation alongside creation. 
 
Doug
.

jaraymaker

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Jun 9, 2023, 3:27:56 AM6/9/23
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Googling "the bible and breakthroughs in findings in astronomy" gives many positive views as to "accuracy" of biblical approaches to the mysteries of interpreting what the skies so dimly reveal to the naked eye--and how Galileo, Newton and others pioneered today's scientific findings,  John 

 

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Tony

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Jun 12, 2023, 2:17:41 PM6/12/23
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Sorry Doug for the delay in your request. Here is the UTube Link:

Tony

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