Re: Is Particle Physics At Risk of Becoming Tautological?

[Leigh Palmer <palmer@SFU.CA>]

>   Is particle theory becoming a logically consistent but
> self-referential theory that is losing direct contact with the physical
> world in the manner of various branches of mathematics?

There is an interesting parallel in the outside world. Richard
Lindzen of MIT points out that new global climate models are
now evaluated in the litrature using the criterion of fitting
their predictions to those of older global climate models.

If a quantity is difficult to measure it should be approached
first theoretically, and then the theoretical number should be
considered more reliable than the questionable results of
clumsy real world attempts at measuring it.

Not!

Leigh