Experiments are the final judge as to what is correct physics and what is not. Because a theory comes from a symmetry does not make it always true. Einstein's General Relativity is based on a symmetry, yet the Aspect experiment and others that have followed produce results that are in conflict with General Relativity. In the conflict between GR and quantum mechanics, GR loses, and in a sense mathematics loses. The Aspect experiment suggests that reality is more than mathematics based on symmetry.

So in physics, the theorists are like the legislature that makes laws, but the experiments determine if they are constitutional. A judge, (at least in the the USA where judges are appointed for life and do not report to anybody else, the brilliant creation of John Adams of Massachusetts,) can reject a law, just as an experiment can reject a theory, or more judicially, limit its range of applicability.

• I think, people's interpretation of math is different. - alexander - April 16, 2001 - 23:30 UTC
  • Godel disagrees - yanniru - April 17, 2001 - 12:42 UTC
    • Incompleteness means "open", not "incorrect" - alexander - April 17, 2001 - 17:25 UTC
      • You need to read Godel's Proof! - doctordick - April 17, 2001 - 19:03 UTC
        • No, Dick, you are wrong. Sorry for that. - alexander - April 17, 2001 - 21:37 UTC