Physics and Philosophy Interview with Thomas Schiicker

Abstract

The famous French physicist Thomas Schiickeг, the author of numeгous articles and books on theoгeti­ cal and mathematical physics, talks about his reseaгch work in such агеаs of theoretical and mathemati­ cal physics as grand unification theoгies, gravitational anomalies, application of noncommutative geom­ etгy to the Standard Model of paгticle physics and beyond, cosmology. The state of modern physics and, in paгticulaг, the fundamental discoveгies made in high-energy physics and cosmology over the past decades, as well as the relationship between physics and philosophy and а numbeг of related philosophi­ cal proЬlems аге discussed. In paгticular, we are talking about the Standard Model of elementaгy paгticle physics and the Standard cosmological model, about dark eneгgy and daгk matter, about such funda­ mental physical theoгies as stгing theoгy, noncommutative geometгy, loop quantum gгavity and others. Promising directions in the development of physics, according to Т. Schiicker, include the furtheг study of gгavitational waves and quantum entanglement. As for the philosophy of physics, the following are discussed: гealism and anti-realism, the concepts of scientific theoгy and truth, the nature of quantum reality, inteгpгetations of quantum mechanics, and the role of the aesthetic cгiterion of beauty in phys­ ics. Pгofessoг Т. Schiickeг does not think that modern physics is in crisis. In fact, оvег the past decades, significant theoгetical and expeгimental pгogгess has been made in physics, а number of fundamental pгedictions and discoveгies, and, in particular, the discoveгy of the acceleгated expansion of the universe, the Higgs boson, gravitational waves, and many others. As noted in the interview, many modern researchers work simultaneously in the field of theoretical physics and in the field of philosophy of physics, they believe that physics and philosophy need each other.