Finished reading Lost in Math by Sabine Hossenfelder.

This book is about Sabine being frustrated with the current state of physics and science in general. She makes a strong case for why she’s upset: many physicists devote their efforts to unfalsifiable theories, motivated purely by their aesthetic appeal.

It’s hard to deny that ideas like the multiverse and wormholes are fascinating, but if they’re closer to science fiction than science, what’s the point? Why do we invest so much time and money into theories that can never be tested or applied?

PhD stands for Philosophiae Doctor because science was once called natural philosophy. Before Newton, theories were accepted based purely on plausibility. Then came the scientific revolution, when ideas had to be tested against reality. Today, many theories are chosen solely for their mathematical beauty, making it feel as if we’ve taken a step back by a few hundred years.

I recommend this book to anyone interested in science, history of science, philosophy of science, and epistemology. It’s well-written and provides all the context needed to go through it.