Re: Fix me Phil!

In which I attempt to fix something that isn't broken.

Book recommendations (preferably in order):

In Search of Schrodinger's Cat - John Gribbin.

Dreams Of A Final Theory - Steven Weinberg.

The Discovery Of Subatomic Particles - Steven Weinberg.

The Edge Of Science - Richard Morris.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• theory
• of
• everything
• astro
• physics
• quantum

[Nemesishk]

If a photon doesn't have mass why is it influenced by gravity? (blackholes, curves around stars etc.)

[philhellenes]

@Nemesishk Good question. It puzzled me for a long time. The answer is that the light isn't being influenced. Light can ONLY travel in a straight line. Even when we measure it's "curve" or displacement, the light has actually travelled in in a straight line, from ITS perspective. It is the SPACE though which the light is travelling that is curved, NOT the light. That is why gravity seems to influence light. The mass/gravity curves the spacetime. The bent light merely reveals the curve. :)

[OverusedChewToy]

Also, let me give an example of metaphysics without a physical grounding- Epicurus' Atomistic Materialism (Atom meaning indivisible), which ,as its name suggests, predicted the breakdown of "reality" into base parts (atoms...until they were split ;) ). So metaphysics can be quite powerful predictors without physical scientific grounding ,although it is admittedly a rarity.

[philhellenes]

I think it was Democritus who came up with the word atom. I'm pretty sure what he envisaged was something very small and very hard. He had no inkling of the true properties or behavior of the object Dalton finally named as an atom (though we should have waited and called quarks atoms as they seem to be truly indivisible).

[OverusedChewToy]

I'm interested to hear what you think the role of philosophical Ethical Theory plays, as to whether it only has a limited use or practical implications?

[philhellenes]

I'd give an opinion, IF I knew what Ethical Theory was or is. :)

[styxway]

and please, please please.... :)

[Clausfarre]

Great book list Phil. Do check The Matter Myth by Gribbin and Davies out. It is wonderfully entertaining and reaches all corners of science including, of course, quantum physics. Let's start a book club!

[OverusedChewToy]

Just check 'em out on wiki, or something. There's a long history of philosophical thought focused around morality and things of that nature.

[OverusedChewToy]

Hah, guess you're right. Nice to see someone on here who knows his philosophy (not me :P ). Still, its philosophical implications are hard to rule out. Also, an ethical theory is basically a a way of applying reason to ones morality. Examples include Ethical Egoism, Utilitarianism, Divine Command Theory (lol) etc.