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The disunity of science is a feature, not a bug
Mathematical models wield miraculous power, but mistaking them for reality has trapped science in a destructive quest for a “Theory of Everything.” Physicist and philosopher Ragner Fjelland argues that this leads to bloated, Frankenstein theories kept alive by clumsy, ad-hoc amendments, which reduce rather than boost science’s power. Fjelland calls for a radical shift in our attitude: we must reorientate towards creating entirely new theories, celebrating rather than lamenting disunity and diversity in science. Science, from the scientific revolution in the seventeenth century to the present day, has more or less developed in a “reductionist” way. The fundamental assumption is that all sciences may be ordered in a hierarchy that can be represented as an upside-down pyramid. At the top we find the human sciences, and at the bottom physics. Strong (or “ontological”) reductionism maintains that all theories at one level can be completely reduced to the lower level, all the way down to theories of atoms and elementary particles, or whatever is “at the bottom.” In the end, all diversity in the world can be unified in one fundamental theory. Hence it is called a final theory, or a Theory of Everything.One of the central figures in developing the idea of a Theory of Everything is the Dutch theoretical physicist Gerard 't Hooft, who received a Nobel Prize in physics in 1999 for his work. He emphasizes the non-empirical status of the theory:There exists no closely resembling alternative theory. This means that any slight change brought about in the rules would make the theory unlikely or inelegant. The theory will be a "package deal": take it, or leave it. This should hold both for the local laws and for the boundary conditions.This endeavor is not new. On the contrary, it goes all the way back to the birth of Western philosophy 2,500 years ago. The Babylonians made regular astronomical observations during a period of 600 years, from 747 BCE until 150 ACE. They developed mathematical techniques to predict astronomical phenomena, but they made no attempts at explaining them. However, the Greeks developed models, both material and theoretical, to explain the observed phenomena.The best example is Plato’s late dialogue Timaeus. Here he introduces a divine craftsman, the Demiurge, who has constructed the universe according to an original plan. Plato seems to have thought that the original plan is what is actually real, while the material world is merely an imperfect realization of it. He therefore does not, in the Timaeus, reconstruct the material universe, but the original plan, which can then be used to explain the material universe.Plato’s aim in producing a theoretical model is to reconstruct the original plan. That is what he carries out in Timaeus—and some modern physicists have embarked on the same project. For example, Einstein’s basic attitude is reflected in the title of Abraham Pais’ biography: “Subtle is the Lord...,” echoing Einstein’s comment, “Subtle is the Lord, but malicious He is not.” In an interview Einstein compared our situation to a child who enters a huge library. The child knows that someone has written the books, but he does not know the languages in which they are written. He suspects that there is a mysterious order, but he does not know what it is.___“We have all been working in what Husserl called the Galilean style; that is, we have all been making abstract mathematical models of the universe to which at least the physicists give a higher degree of reality than they accord the ordinary world of sensation.”Steven Weinberg, Nobel Prize in Physics (1979)___This Platonist view is contrary to a widespread impression of science, symbolized by the picture of the “father” of modern science, Galileo Galilei, with his telescope. According to this impression, Galileo liberated himself from the dominating metaphysics of his day—basically Aristotelian philosophy—and constructed a telescope that he directed towards the sky, showing that Jupiter has four moons. He also performed experiments with bronze balls rolling down inclined planes and found the law of freely falling bodies.However, in other cases Galileo emphasized the unreliability of our senses. It is easy to see why. He defended Copernicus’ heliocentric hypothesis. According to this hypothesis, we are not at rest at the center of the universe, but moving at a tremendous speed through space. Why don’t we observe this motion? Galileo praises Copernicus because “with reason as his guide he resolutely continued to affirm what sensible experience seemed to contradict.” In other places he directly refers to Plato. SUGGESTED VIEWING The quest for a final theory With Michio Kaku Galileo’s Platonism goes back to his early writings. In The Assayer, published as early as 1623, Galileo compared the universe to a grand book that is written in the language of mathematics, and “its characters are triangles, circles, and other geometric figures without which it is humanly impossible to understand a single word of it.” Therefore, things that cannot be described by mathematics—for example, colors, smells and odors—are not real. They are merely subjective.This division into subjective and objective, advocated by Galileo and his younger contemporary René Descartes, is normally associated with a mechanistic world view, which is regarded as the opposite of Platonism. When we reduce something to, for example, molecules and atoms, we move “downwards.” In contrast, the Platonist moves “upwards,” to abstract entities. However, it only shows that when we address fundamental questions, we should be careful in applying everyday spatial metaphors like “up” and “down.”___Nature is complex, and we cannot in general construct mathematical models that adequately describe the world.___The endeavor of finding a Theory of Everything has been heavily criticized. In 2006, the theoretical physicist Lee Smolin published “The Crisis in Fundamental Physics.” He argued that one of the most fundamental principles of science is that we should only regard theories as scientific if we have the possibility to show that they are false by experiments. Although he did not refer to Karl Popper, other critics have referred to Popper and argued that a theory is not scientific if it cannot be falsified (see for example Ellis & Silk 2014).These were not the first physicists to be anti-reductionists. In 1972, the journal Science published an article by the physicist Philip Anderson with the title “More Is Different.” This is the kind of article a scientist would normally write only after he has won a Nobel Prize. However, Anderson won the Nobel Prize for physics five years later, in 1977. The article is amazing, not primarily because it argues in favor of anti-reductionism in general, but because it argues for anti-reductionism within physics itself. Anderson’s conclusion was:At each stage entirely new laws, concepts, and generalizations are necessary, requiring inspiration and creativity to just as great a degree as in the previous one. Psychology is not applied biology, nor is biology applied chemistry.We may say that Plato started the “unity of science movement,” based on Euclidean geometry as the model of all knowledge. A distinguishing mark of geometry is that all possible constructions can be reduced to a few fundamental principles. We have to acknowledge that this approach has limitations. In general, we can easily model technological systems. In addition, we may construct simplified and idealized models that capture important aspects of systems, from various perspectives and for various purposes. But nature is complex, and we cannot in general construct mathematical models that adequately describe the world. In a complex system, each level has its distinct, emergent, properties that are characteristic of this level. Therefore, a complex system should be investigated at different levels and from different perspectives. Instead of exclusively pursuing a scientific ideal based on the unity of science, we should acknowledge the diversity—or even the disunity—of science.
New York parents say kids 'freeze' on mandated electric school buses during brutal winter weather
Parents in western New York report heating problems with mandated electric school buses, claiming children come home cold after rides in freezing weather.
How to watch Central Michigan vs. Northwestern: GameAbove Sports Bowl TV channel and streaming options for December 26
Find out how to watch the Central Michigan Chippewas play the Northwestern Wildcats, with time, TV channel and streaming information.
Butler, Northwestern seek resume-building win in Indy Classic opener
Pairs of courtside seats for Saturday's Indy Classic doubleheader are going for as much as $1,400 on StubHub -- primarily due to the nightcap clash between No. 6 Purdue and No. 21 Auburn.
Russia says it hopes Trump did not make ‘fatal mistake’ after latest US strike on vessel in eastern Pacific kills four
Pete Hegseth says attack took place on Wednesday as Russian foreign ministry warns of ‘unpredictable consequences for the entire western Hemisphere’
Specialties Honor Roll: Entertainment Law
From Hollywood to Madison Avenue to the ballpark, entertainment, media and sports law requires a mix of creativity, business sense, and legal skill. These 10 law schools prepare students for careers in the field through hands-on clinics, industry-focused coursework and strong professional networks, earning an A+, A and A- in our annual honor roll. (A+) […]
NU administration addresses employee concerns about health care shift at special Faculty Senate meeting
Following Northwestern’s announcement that UnitedHealthcare will replace Blue Cross Blue Shield as the University’s employee health care administrator, human resources representatives fielded faculty concerns at a special Faculty Senate meeting Thursday. The University announced June 12 that all medical plans for NU faculty and staff will be administered by UnitedHealthcare starting Jan. 1, 2026. Faculty...
Utah hosts Los Angeles after overtime win against Dallas
Los Angeles Lakers (18-7, third in the Western Conference) vs. Utah Jazz (10-15, 10th in the Western Conference)
Russia's wartime economic relationship with China is critical, but an 'embarrassing reversal': think tank
China buys Russian oil and gas at steep discounts while supplying Moscow with machinery and electronics as Western sanctions tighten.
Beidas Elected Co-Editor-in-Chief of Implementation Science
Rinad Beidas, PhD, the chair and Ralph Seal Paffenbarger professor of Medical Social Sciences, has been elected the next co-editor-in-chief of Implementation Science, the field’s flagship journal, effective January 1, 2026.
This Disappointing Western Drama Is Still A Top Show On Netflix Right Now
Other shows trending this week include HBO Max's hit "It" prequel and a Taylor Swift tour docuseries.
How rising health care costs are affecting Texans
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas is dropping UT Southwestern Medical Center and Texas Health Services as in-network for one of its HMO plans.
Worlds apart in water politics, Denver and Phoenix seek similar solutions to a drier Colorado River Basin
Western cities are stuck planning for potential cuts, without knowing what the cuts might be, as they wait for news about future Colorado River management.
Southwestern Middle School Holds Inaugural Science Fair
Students at Southwestern Middle School recently had the chance to show off their creative sides in a science fair for students in the Living Environment class. Students collaborated with each other to devise, research, and present the findings for various studies following organisms and living creatures. Students’ interest in their particular projects gave them enough […]
Baystate Health warns of $146M yearly hit to its finances of Trump policy bill
The Baystate leader said the health care landscape in Western Massachusetts is certain to change.
Behavioral health spending spikes to 40% of all children’s health expenditures
Expenditure nearly doubled in a decade; families paid $2.9 billion in out-of-pocket costs in 2022
Full-length Replay: Western Michigan at Iowa
The Hawkeyes (8-2) look to shake off a tough loss when they host the Broncos (5-5).
Mines Researchers Play Key Role in World-Leading Dark Matter Results from LZ Experiment at SURF
Nearly a mile beneath the surface of Western South Dakota, one of the world’s most sensitive physics experiments is quietly listening for signals from the unseen universe with researchers from South Dakota mines and technology is helping guide every pulse it records, including the newest record-breaking results.
Full-length Replay: Jackson State at Northwestern
Northwestern (5-4) tries to put an end to a three-game slide when it hosts Jackson State (1-8).
Rapid Reaction: Northwestern takes care of business, defeating Jackson State 93-53
Your best source for quality Northwestern Wildcats news, rumors, analysis, stats and scores from the fan perspective.
Watch Raines vs. Northwestern in Florida 3A football championship: Live stream, tickets
The game begins at 7:30 p.m. on Friday at Pitbull Stadium in Miami.
Analysis: The Civil Rights law that Stephen Miller says ruined America
Trump’s key aide thinks the country was better off with strict quotas that sought to preserve the racial makeup of the country in the 1920s and so favored immigrants from Western and Northern Europe over what he called “third world countries.”
UT Southwestern biochemist to receive O’Donnell Award from TAMEST
Yunsun Nam, Ph.D., Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics at UT Southwestern Medical Center, will receive the 2026 Edith and Peter O’Donnell Award in Biological Sciences from the Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, Science & Technology (TAMEST) for her research into how RNAs and proteins interact at the molecular level. Her work has shed light on gene regulation, cancer biology, and RNA-based therapeutics.
Predators aim to keep climb going vs. shorthanded Blues
After staggering to a 6-12-4 start, the Nashville Predators have worked their way back toward the Western Conference playoff race. They finally gained confidence while winning five of their last seven games.
Lakers, Spurs square off in NBA Cup West semifinal
A pair of Western Conference powers, vying to become the primary threat to the defending NBA champions, will meet in an NBA Cup West semifinal Wednesday when the Los Angeles Lakers play host to the San Antonio Spurs.
Discuss ethical issues in the world of sports | CWRU Newsroom | Case Western Reserve University
Members of the Case Western Reserve University community are invited to enroll in Siegal Lifelong Learning Program’s “Fair Play: The Ethics of Spo...
Football: Northwestern to play Central Michigan in GameAbove Sports Bowl
In a season that saw Northwestern travel to New Orleans and Los Angeles, coach David Braun’s team will not have to travel far to finish off its campaign. The Wildcats (6-6, 4-5 Big Ten) will compete in Detroit’s GameAbove Sports Bowl against Central Michigan on Dec. 26, the team announced Sunday afternoon. The game is...
Central Michigan to face Northwestern at Ford Field for GameAbove Sports Bowl
The Central Michigan Chippewas will be in Detroit for the holiday season as they'll face the Northwestern Wildcats at Ford Field.
Findings may move science closer to growing organs in other species
Failure of human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) to survive when grown with the PSCs of distantly related species occurs because of an innate immune reaction in the nonhuman cells, a study led by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers suggests.
As Congress fights over ACA subsidies, economist argues for expanding care
Craig Garthwaite, Director of the Program on Healthcare at Northwestern University and co-author of a new paper from the Aspen Economic Strategy Group, talks about reforms that could make healthcare cheaper and more efficient.
Central Michigan coming to Ford Field for GameAbove Sports Bowl vs Northwestern
Central Michigan is coming to Detroit to play Northwestern in the GameAbove Sports Bowl at Ford Field.
In snowy Buffalo, Bengals lead Bills 21-11 at halftime
It’s a showy day in Western New York and the Bengals had little problem with that offensively in the first 30 minutes of Sunday’s matchup with Buffalo, carrying a 21-11 lead at halftime.
Detroit Bound: Wildcats to Meet Central Michigan in 2025 GameAbove Sports Bowl
The Northwestern Wildcats will take on the Central Michigan Chippewas in the GameAbove Sports Bowl on Friday, December 26. This year's game will kick off fro...
'Flipping Farms' reality show, partly filmed in Lancaster, hosts Manheim premiere
Gowns and glam met cowboy hats and Western wear on the red carpet Thursday night as the stars of the streaming reality series “Flipping Farms” held a premiere screening at
Miami (OH) vs. Western Michigan prediction, odds: 2025 MAC Championship Game picks from proven model
SportsLine's computer model reveals its Western Michigan vs. Miami best bets
Western Carolina plays Queens (NC) on home skid
Western Carolina will attempt to stop its four-game home slide when the Catamounts face Queens (NC)
Army merges three commands in move to prioritize homeland defense
The US Army officially stood up a new command on Friday to oversee the Army’s activities in the Western Hemisphere in the latest signal of increasing focus on homeland defense.
A Hospital Was Slated To Open in 2025. Amid a Legal Battle, It’s Still a Field of Dirt.
By Andrew Jones | KFF Health News Madison County, tucked in the mountains of western North Carolina, has no hospital and just three ambulances serving its roughly 22,000 people. The ambulances frequently travel back and forth to Mission Hospital in Asheville, the largest and most central hospital in ...
Trump national security strategy calls for ‘cultivating resistance’ in Europe and changing US’ role in Western hemisphere
The White House quietly released President Donald Trump’s new national security strategy late Thursday, a 33-page document that elevates his “America First” doctrine and sets out the administration’s realignment of US foreign policy, from shifting military resources in the Western Hemisphere to taking an unprecedentedly confrontational posture toward Europe.
New Orleans faces Brooklyn on 5-game road skid
New Orleans Pelicans (3-20, 15th in the Western Conference) vs. Brooklyn Nets (5-17, 13th in the Eastern Conference) New York; Saturday, 5 p.m. EST BOTTOM LINE: New Orleans visits Brooklyn looking to stop its five-game road skid. The Nets are 1-10 on their home court.
US health department unveils strategy to expand its adoption of AI technology
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has outlined a new strategy to expand its use of artificial intelligence.
Logan Health providers seek unionization amid staffing concerns
Nearly 60 primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants at Logan Health clinics in Northwestern Montana have filed a petition with the
Full-length Replay: Northwestern at Wisconsin
The Badgers and Wildcats, both 5-2, kick off their Big Ten schedules by meeting in Madison, Wisc.
Student groups, political leaders divided over Northwestern's federal funding deal with Trump admin.
Advocates for Jewish students at Northwestern University say the agreement with the Trump administration is the first step in ensuring safety on campus, but some key political leaders say the university is bending to the will of the president.
Small Business Saturday sheds light on local storefronts, sees lower turnout due to winter storm
During a winter storm, members of the Evanston community battled howling winds and freezing temperatures to shop at Evanston’s third annual Small Business Saturday. Having begun in 2010 as a nationwide movement to support smaller, family-owned stores, this year’s Small Business Saturday featured special deals from 28 participating local businesses in Evanston. Downtown Evanston also...
Kim Jong Un's Su-25 fighters have a new weapon, and it looks a lot like a Western cruise missile with a 300-mile range
Pyongyang paraded a new air-launched weapon that shares visual features similar to the Taurus, a cruise missile used by Seoul with a 300-mile range.
Cheyenne Frontier Days Releases Exciting 2026 Concert Lineup
The legendary “Daddy of ’Em All”has officially announced its 2026 concert lineup as it celebrates its 130th anniversary this next July.
Lane Kiffin arrives in Baton Rouge, as the college football coaching carousel keeps going round and round
Michigan State, UCLA, Kentucky, James Madison, Northwestern all have coaches on the move
Michigan State finalizes deal to hire ex-Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald to replace Jonathan Smith
Michigan State has its replacement for Jonathan Smith.
From Sidelines to Center Court
WSF conducted a three-year research initiative funded by the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation focused on addressing access, engagement, and retention in sports for girls as well as the lack of women coaches working in the youth sports space. This research focused on the regions of Southeast Michigan and Western New York and has widespread […]
School of Health Professions to celebrate graduates at Dec. 13 commencement: Center Times Plus, UT Southwestern
On Saturday, Dec. 13, the achievements of 128 School of Health Professions graduates will be celebrated at a commencement ceremony in the Tom and Lula Gooch Auditorium on South Campus.
Memphis plays San Antonio on 3-game win streak
Memphis Grizzlies (9-12, ninth in the Western Conference) vs. San Antonio Spurs (13-6, fifth in the Western Conference) San Antonio; Tuesday, 8 p.m. EST BOTTOM LINE: Memphis will try to extend its three-game win streak with a victory over San Antonio. The Spurs are 5-0 against division opponents.
Analysis: Trump’s threats bring war with Venezuela closer as contradictions and legal fears mount
Intensifying US threats against Venezuela are raising expectations of imminent military action as President Donald Trump heaps pressure on the Caracas regime and flexes power in the Western Hemisphere.
Cities put science in the spotlight
When three European cities launch an initiative next year to boost scientific excellence and collaboration, much of the action is likely to take place in public spaces rather than in the laboratory.That is welcome news for Ana Marušić. A medical doctor and professor at the University of Split Medical School in Croatia, Marušić champions close connections between “town and gown” to encourage citizen involvement in research, raise public health awareness and ignite young people’s interest in science. “Responsible research and innovation cannot be done in an ivory tower, answering only the questions that are relevant for scientists,” explains Marušić, who chairs the Department of Research in Biomedicine and Health and leads the Centre for Evidence-based Medicine. “The role of the university is to be a medium for transferring new discoveries in science to society, but also to listen to society about what is important and what is needed.”Three cities united by scienceMarušić’s efforts stand to gain traction through Science Comes to Town (SCTT), a new European project to highlight science’s role in society and strengthen cross-border collaboration in research, innovation and sustainability. With funding from the European Commission, three cities—Split, Brest (in France) and Kiel (in Germany)—plan more than 1,000 public events, workshops and competitions for citizens of all ages, researchers, businesses and policymakers. The year-long project kicks off in Spilt on 20 January with a conference involving partner institutions, community representatives and European policymakers. The three cities may be geographically far apart, but they share much in common. All are located on coasts and are home to top regional research institutions that are part of SCTT. Among the project's partners, the University of Western Brittany in Brest, Kiel University and the University of Split belong to the SEA-EU university alliance, uniting nine European coastal academic institutions to advance research, student exchanges and sustainable development. “These universities have a very strong connection between gown and town,” explains Marušić, who is one of Split’s SCTT ambassadors. “It's very important that these universities are there for the community so that we can learn from each other and grow together.”Tackling Europe’s STEM shortagesSCTT will also reinforce efforts to address Europe’s widening gap in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. Studies show that nearly eight out of ten small- and medium-sized businesses cannot find enough workers with the skills required in advanced computing and artificial intelligence (AI)—hindering initiatives to boost European innovation and competitiveness. In healthcare, the European Commission has estimated a shortfall in medical professionals of 1.2 million, due to fewer young people joining the field and an ageing population that needs more care.Strengthening knowledge and dialogue can also help build trust between scientists and the public at time when disruptive technologies are reshaping research and clinical practice, but are also sparking questions about ethics and accuracy. With experience in the classroom and in clinical epidemiology—a discipline involving monitoring and controlling public health problems—Marušić sees the potential risks of over-reliance on AI and chatbot answers for both research and learning. “AI is a very good tool, but one has to be very critical about it,” she adds. “Delegating brain activities will definitely diminish your neural capacities because you are not developing the circuitry that is important for higher-level cognitive engagement.” She stresses the importance of critical thinking and encourages students to use AI as a researcher’s tool to reinforce rather than supplant human discretion and brainpower.The power of outreachSplit’s experience in bringing scientists and the public together has provided a platform for discussing research ethics and explaining science in simple terms. Local efforts to expand health literacy and awareness have helped reduce cardiovascular disease among women, according to Marušić’s research. The city’s university also hosts events to introduce schoolchildren to science, using hands-on experiments to spark curiosity.Marušić’s own love of science began with an interest in studying molecular biology. “But my parents told me, why don't you study medicine?” she recalls. “I said, OK, why not? And that was the best decision that I made.” Marušić is not a practicing physician, but teaches anatomy and public health. She also co-edits ST-OPEN, an overlay university journal that works on capacity building for research publishing among students and their supervisors. Balancing teaching, research and editorial work, she is a strong advocate for medical studies, urging high school students to consider medicine “because later on it gives you a really wide perspective about human life and about society” as well as many career opportunities.As SCTT prepares to bring science into daily life in 2026, Marušić hopes that it will build permanent bridges between scientists and citizens across Europe. “We can be a showcase for making collaboration with the community stronger to share knowledge, attract young talent and integrate critical and scientific thinking into everyday life,” she explains, adding that "collaborating with businesses to improve cities and communities is also an important aspect of this project."Science|Business, which connects policymakers, academics and industry through its news reporting, analysis and events, is an SCTT partner.
Protesters rally at Rep. Edwards’ owned McDonald’s over vote on SNAP, health care
Protestors gathered on Four Seasons Boulevard in Hendersonville at the McDonald's owned by Western North Carolina Congressman Chuck Edwards.
Western Mass filmmaker to screen debut film ‘Splinter’ at Northampton’s Academy of Music
All proceeds from the screening will be donated to the Center for Human Development in Springfield in a tribute to mental health care professionals.