For me it's like any other religion. It's all mystery and mystical. So I just take it on faith that there are a sufficient number of geniuses working on these problems that every possible avenue is and perhaps has been explored. What really counts is the mathematics and what that predicts, and if the predictions can be verified. The interpretations which are usually metaphorical descriptions of some physical process should not be taken as truth.

So the mathematics of the extra dimensions helps to solve some problems. The fact that we do not observe extra-dimensional space seems to be just explained away by compactification. Usually serious deficiencies in a theory are given words of a dozen letters or more to sweep them under the rug. Entanglement is another example of this physicological phenomenon experienced by physicists that are prominant.

So basicly I agree with you except that I am a victim of genius worship. I've obsrved a few in my time. Funny thing is that for the most part they are not nerds. They just do everything better than the rest of us, from sports to politics. Fortunately they tend to be very honest. They can afford to. They never had any reason to cheat or even cut corners.

• I sort of agree - pmartin - November 25, 2001 - 21:49 UTC
  • So, how do you explain inverse square then? - alexander - November 26, 2001 - 20:37 UTC
    • Because our 3D space is a manifold - pmartin - November 26, 2001 - 21:50 UTC
      • So, why do we need them (large dimensions) then? - alexander - November 26, 2001 - 23:25 UTC
        • In order to bend space-time - pmartin - November 27, 2001 - 00:52 UTC
          • Extra large dimensions are being pursued - yanniru - November 27, 2001 - 15:42 UTC
            • In addition - yanniru - November 27, 2001 - 15:50 UTC
              • I hope they are. - pmartin - November 27, 2001 - 17:49 UTC
                • So, how to explain inverse square law then? - alexander - November 28, 2001 - 00:19 UTC
                  • Two answers - yanniru - November 28, 2001 - 15:12 UTC
                    • Richard, I peronally contributed in dismissal of - alexander - November 28, 2001 - 20:42 UTC
                      • Reference please to your publication - yanniru - November 29, 2001 - 15:20 UTC
                        • For Richard (about gravity on mm scale). - alexander - December 1, 2001 - 02:27 UTC
                          • Casmuir effect - yanniru - December 1, 2001 - 19:10 UTC
                            • Way far. Casimir is 10^-6 or so. nt - alexander - December 3, 2001 - 22:39 UTC
                  • Alex = Priest! - luis_hamburgh - November 30, 2001 - 01:00 UTC
                    • Luis, stupidity continues? - alexander - November 30, 2001 - 18:47 UTC
                      • Alex = 1st non-religious person on my ignore list. :( - luis_hamburgh - December 2, 2001 - 21:15 UTC
                        • - luis_hamburgh - December 3, 2001 - 18:26 UTC
                        • Luis, if we have inverse square, space is 3-D (for gravity). - alexander - December 3, 2001 - 22:42 UTC
                  • The explanation of Inverse Square Law - pmartin - November 30, 2001 - 18:43 UTC
                    • Paul, don't you see the obvious? - alexander - November 30, 2001 - 19:01 UTC
                      • No. At least it is not obvious to me. - pmartin - December 1, 2001 - 01:28 UTC
                        • If our space were "imbedded" inverse square would fail. - alexander - December 1, 2001 - 02:07 UTC
                          • Not necessarily - pmartin - December 1, 2001 - 05:01 UTC
                            • I think, mathematicians did that 100 years ago or so. - alexander - December 3, 2001 - 22:48 UTC
          • Right analysis. Wrong persuasion. - luis_hamburgh - November 28, 2001 - 16:36 UTC
            • So, Luis, where is 1/r^3 law then? (If 4th dimension is there). - alexander - November 28, 2001 - 20:47 UTC
              • I answered this yesterday, but - luis_hamburgh - November 30, 2001 - 14:30 UTC
                • Luis, either 4d or inverse square, they do not mix. - alexander - November 30, 2001 - 21:17 UTC
            • accuse Hawking et al of "crackpottery." - yanniru - November 29, 2001 - 15:23 UTC
            • Depends on what I'm trying to persuade whom to do. - pmartin - November 30, 2001 - 18:51 UTC