In 2012 Stephen Hawking abandoned belief in the ability of science to describe reality, in favour of a model-dependent account of truth. We tend to think it is the job of scientists to discover truths about the universe. Yet, Hawking rendered this an impossible task and came to argue that truth is an illusion. For Hawking, in the end, there was no idea of reality that made any sense. All we have are our models. Written by Paul Hoyningen-Huene.
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Kenneth Hughes 13 October 2024
The two reasons in physics given here to debunk reality are not valid.
1. Simultaneity in special relativity is not observer dependent at all, once we accept that time passes at different rates in different frames of reference. This is proven by the Hafele & Keating experiments where atomic clocks show indisputable evidence of this. Time, really does pass slower for a moving entity and this is not observer dependent, but proven by experiment. People can draw all sorts of diagrams to show what one observer might see in a different frame', but ultimately, these are just lines on a piece of paper. If Hawking was serious about his remarks to 'Penrose, then he should remember the cesium clocks in H&K and also how the satellite navigation system works. I take it he used a SatNav?
2. The assumption, in quantum mechanics in the double slit experiment, that the behaviour of light is affected by the observer, is also unfounded. This idea is invoked because we don't (yet) understand the "collapse" of the "wave function", (whatever the wave function is). I see no reason to revert any such absurd thinking as opposed to just simply accepting that we do not yet understand the phenomenon. As a professional Mechanical Engineer, (retired), and an ardent realist, I believe physicists are duty bound to attempt to find a realistic solution to such conundrums rather than simply throw in the towel because they too arrogant to make the attempt or merely find the task too difficult for them. The idea of "Non Realism" is a hideous restraint on free thinking and it is no wonder we have not seen the expected next "Einstein" in the last one hundred years or so.
If you are interested in a realist's explanation of these two issues then either read my book, "The Binary Universe" - A Theory of Time, or, to save yourself the time and money, go to - Academia dot edu Ken Hughes, and read my ten papers there in numerical order.
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