Lee Smolin at Harvard.

Lee Smolin (born 1955 in New York City) is an American theoretical physicist, a researcher at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, and an adjunct professor of physics at the University of Waterloo. Lee Smolin at Harvard University File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Nickname: Big Apple, Gotham, NYC Location in the state of New York Coordinates: Country United States State New York Boroughs The Bronx Brooklyn Manhattan Queens Staten Island Settled 1613  - Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Area    - City 1,214. ... Physics (from the Greek, (phúsis), nature and (phusiké), knowledge of nature) is the science concerned with the discovery and understanding of the fundamental laws which govern matter, energy, space, and time. ... The Institute facing Waterloo Park The Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics is located in the city of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada (also home to the University of Waterloo). ... The University of Waterloo, also known as UW, UWaterloo, or simply, Waterloo is a medium-sized research-intensive public university in the city of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. ...

Smolin is best known for devising several different approaches to quantum gravity, including loop quantum gravity and causal dynamical triangulations models. He advocates that the two primary approaches to quantum gravity, loop quantum gravity and string theory, can be reconciled as different aspects of the same underlying theory. His research interests also include cosmology, elementary particle theory, the foundations of quantum mechanics, and theoretical biology.^[1] This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Interaction in the subatomic world: world lines of pointlike particles in the Standard Model or a world sheet swept up by closed strings in string theory String theory is a model of fundamental physics whose building blocks are one-dimensional extended objects (strings) rather than the zero-dimensional points (particles... // Cosmology, from the Greek: κοσμολογία (cosmologia, κόσμος (cosmos) order + λογια (logia) discourse) is the study of the Universe in its totality, and by extension, humanitys place in it. ... In particle physics, an elementary particle or fundamental particle is a particle not known to have substructure; that is, it is not made up of smaller particles. ... Fig. ... Theoretical biology is an interdisciplinary field of academic study and research that involves the use of quantitative tools in biology. ...

Smolin's most famous suggestion may be his theory of fecund universes, also known as cosmological natural selection, which attempts to apply principles of biological evolution to cosmology, suggesting that universes evolve in favor of the production of black holes. Leonard Susskind who now promotes a similar cosmic landscape theory, stated "I'm not sure why Smolin's idea didn't attract much attention. I actually think it deserved far more than it got."^[2] The fecund universes theory of cosmology advanced by Lee Smolin suggests that the rules of biology apply on the grandest scales. ... Cosmological natural selection is a hypothesis proposed by Lee Smolin intended as a scientific alternative to the anthropic principle. ... This article is about biological evolution. ... Cosmology, as a branch of astrophysics, is the study of the large-scale structure of the universe and is concerned with fundamental questions about its formation and evolution. ... A black hole is an object predicted by general relativity,[1] with a gravitational field so powerful that even electromagnetic radiation (including light itself) cannot escape its pull. ... Lenny Susskind at Stanford University Leonard Susskind is a theoretical physics professor at Stanford University in the field of string theory and quantum field theory. ...

The Trouble with Physics

Smolin's 2006 book, The Trouble with Physics, is broadly concerned with the role of controversy and diversity of approaches in the ethics and process of science. It is strongly critical of string theory and of its prominence in contemporary theoretical physics: Interaction in the subatomic world: world lines of pointlike particles in the Standard Model or a world sheet swept up by closed strings in string theory String theory is a model of fundamental physics whose building blocks are one-dimensional extended objects (strings) rather than the zero-dimensional points (particles...

The scenario of many unobserved universes plays the same logical role as the scenario of an intelligent designer. Each provides an untestable hypothesis that, if true, makes something improbable seem quite probable.^[3]

The book also focuses on the difficulties faced by current efforts at theories of unification of physics and approaches to quantum gravity: Intelligent design (ID) is the concept that certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, not an undirected process such as natural selection. ...

I am convinced that quantum mechanics is not a final theory. I believe this because I have never encountered an interpretation of the present formulation of quantum mechanics that makes sense to me. I have studied most of them in depth and thought hard about them, and in the end I still can't make real sense of quantum theory as it stands.^[4]

Fig. ...

Books by Smolin

The following books are relatively non-technical, and can be appreciated by those who are not physicicts.

• 1999. The Life of the Cosmos
• 2001. Three Roads to Quantum Gravity
• 2006. The Trouble With Physics: The Rise of String Theory, the Fall of a Science, and What Comes Next. Houghton Mifflin.

Three Roads to Quantum Gravity is a 2001 book by theoretical physicist Lee Smolin. ... The Trouble With Physics is a 2006 book by theoretical physicist Lee Smolin. ...

Personal life

Smolin was educated at Hampshire College and Harvard University.^[1] His mother is the playwright Pauline Smolin, while his father Michael is an environmental and process engineer.^{[citation needed]} His brother, David M. Smolin, is a professor in the Cumberland School of Law in Birmingham, Alabama.^{[citation needed]} Hampshire College is an experimenting private liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts. ... Harvard University (incorporated as The President and Fellows of Harvard College) , is a private university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. ... David M. Smolin is a professor of law at Cumberland School of Law in Birmingham, Alabama. ... It has been suggested that Cumberland Law Schools Center for Biotechnology, Law and Ethics be merged into this article or section. ...

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Smolin's faculty member page from the Perimeter Institute member directory
2. ^ Smolin vs. Susskind: the Anthropic Principle, between Smolin and Leonard Susskind, from the Edge Foundation website
3. ^ Smolin quoted in a review of the work written by Michael Riordan and published in Physics World
4. ^ Smolin's response to the question "What do you believe is true even though you cannot prove it?", from the Edge Foundation website

The Institute facing Waterloo Park The Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics is located in the city of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada (also home to the University of Waterloo). ... Lenny Susskind at Stanford University Leonard Susskind is a theoretical physics professor at Stanford University in the field of string theory and quantum field theory. ... The Edge Foundation was created in 1988 to seek out the most complex and sophisticated minds, put them in a room together and have themselves ask each other the questions they are asking themselves. ... Physics World cover from the February 2005 issue Physics World is the membership magazine of the Institute of Physics, one of the largest physical societies in the world. ... The Edge Foundation was created in 1988 to seek out the most complex and sophisticated minds, put them in a room together and have themselves ask each other the questions they are asking themselves. ...

External links

• Lee Smolin's quantum gravity website (no longer available: Archive copy at the Wayback Machine)
• A list of many of Smolin's published works
• A debate of the merits of string theory betweeen Smolin and Brian Greene, from National Public Radio