Why is a "Theory of Everything" (TOE) desirable?

Richard Muller

Prof Physics, UC Berkeley, author "Now, The Physics of Time"

Keep in mind that nobody proposes a Theory of Everything that would actually cover everything. The theory of everything hopes to combine the standard model of particle physics with gravity. It would not account for the unpredictable nature of radioactive decay. It would not advance our understanding of solid state physics, of superconductors, of biological processes, of material science, or of the cause of the Big Bang, or anything having to do with biology, human behavior or interactions of nations. So the title is a bit presumptuous, like the name that Leon Lederman playfully gave to the Higgs boson (he called it the "god particle") or the name that some people proposed for the top and bottom quarks (they suggest they be called "truth" and "beauty").

So beware the physicist who uses a dramatic name for a theory. Sometimes they are just trying to please their mothers by generating attention that gets their names into the newspapers.

ANAΔΗΜΟΣΙΕΥΣΗ ΑΠΟ ΤΟ QUORA 21/6/2017