this post was submitted on 08 Mar 2026
19 points (95.2% liked)

askchapo

23237 readers
102 users here now

Ask Hexbear is the place to ask and answer ~~thought-provoking~~ questions.

Rules:

  1. Posts must ask a question.

  2. If the question asked is serious, answer seriously.

  3. Questions where you want to learn more about socialism are allowed, but questions in bad faith are not.

  4. Try !feedback@hexbear.net if you're having questions about regarding moderation, site policy, the site itself, development, volunteering or the mod team.

founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS
PorkrollPosadist@hexbear.net
replaceable@hexbear.net
VILenin@hexbear.net
SexUnderSocialism@hexbear.net
khizuo@hexbear.net
Wakmrow@hexbear.net
19
So how does theoretical physics "work" exactly? (hexbear.net)
submitted 2 days ago by ConcreteHalloween@hexbear.net to c/askchapo@hexbear.net
44 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

To explain, I'm just a big old ignorant layman, but with other scientific fields I at least CONCEPTUALLY understand how they came to their findings.

Like if a Geologist tells me something about rocks I'm like: "Okay, idk how geology works, but I assume you did some kind of experiments involving rocks so you probably know what you're talking about."

Or if a neurologist tells me something about the human brain: "Okay, idk shit about neurology, but I assume you did some kind of brain scan or took some brain samples or did some kind of scientific experiment thingy to know this stuff about brains. I don't know the exact details but I can at least abstractly understand the process by which you learned this thing you're telling me now."

Then I'll see some news report about some finding a theoretical physicists made and it'll be like: "The Universe is made of strings! And also the sun is a black hole! The universe is shaped like a doughnut!"

And my honky ass is just like: "How the fuck do you know that shit? What are you looking at? How did you figure that crap out?"

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] invalidusernamelol@hexbear.net 2 points 2 days ago

Or answer puzzles/propose conditions under which experiments might illuminate them like why do magnets not have monopoles?

If we only had experimental physics, you'd be spending billions constantly re-engineering experiments to check results. Theoretical physics leading experimental physics which then informs theoretical physics is the dialiectic in action.

Much like social dialectics, theoretical physics is often sparked by noticing some oddity in existing experiments. Then that is investigated, explained, and a new model is invented and a new experiment devised to test the theory.