05-09-2016, 04:09 AM
This subforum is designed for the discussion of various "alternative theories". The word "theory" is in quotation marks because it is quite typical that what is named a "theory" by those who propose them is not what professional physicists would name a theory.
The main problem of many "theories" proposed by laymen is that they do not have a mathematical apparatus which is necessary for a theory which would be able to compete with the established theories of physics. The point is that the mathematical apparatus of the theories of modern physics is not something invented to frustrate laymen who would like to develop own theories of physics, but serves a purpose: It allows the physicists to derive predictions about what will happen in the future if we know the actual situation. This is what is done by so-called evolution equations. And if it is not possible to predict exactly what happens, they allow at least predict some probabilities. And these predictions are something one can test in experiments, or compare with observations, or to use them to construct technical devices. So, if a "theory" does not have the apparatus which allows to make such predictions, it is clearly inferior to the established theories.
Will there be other examples of theories discussed here? We will see.
The main problem of many "theories" proposed by laymen is that they do not have a mathematical apparatus which is necessary for a theory which would be able to compete with the established theories of physics. The point is that the mathematical apparatus of the theories of modern physics is not something invented to frustrate laymen who would like to develop own theories of physics, but serves a purpose: It allows the physicists to derive predictions about what will happen in the future if we know the actual situation. This is what is done by so-called evolution equations. And if it is not possible to predict exactly what happens, they allow at least predict some probabilities. And these predictions are something one can test in experiments, or compare with observations, or to use them to construct technical devices. So, if a "theory" does not have the apparatus which allows to make such predictions, it is clearly inferior to the established theories.
Will there be other examples of theories discussed here? We will see.