- #1
jdstokes
- 523
- 1
First let me express my ignorance about this subject so please forgive me if these questions have well-known answers.
The main objections I've heard voiced toward string theory are (1) it's incredible diversity of vacua caused by large number of possible Calabi-Yau compactifications, and (2) it's lack of background independence.
I would like to question from my naive viewpoint, whether either of these are as serious as purported. As far as I know, ST naturally incorporates gauge theories on sets of coincident D-branes. As such, it should be be possible to embed the standard model (ad hoc) into string theory on a flat Minkowski background.
With particle content and spacetime background set by hand, what is stopping people from computing stringy corrections to the standard model propagators. Has this already been achieved and is it unique?
If this can be done, then even though corrections are manifest only at the Planck scale, the fault appears to lie more with experimental limitations than with string theory.
The main objections I've heard voiced toward string theory are (1) it's incredible diversity of vacua caused by large number of possible Calabi-Yau compactifications, and (2) it's lack of background independence.
I would like to question from my naive viewpoint, whether either of these are as serious as purported. As far as I know, ST naturally incorporates gauge theories on sets of coincident D-branes. As such, it should be be possible to embed the standard model (ad hoc) into string theory on a flat Minkowski background.
With particle content and spacetime background set by hand, what is stopping people from computing stringy corrections to the standard model propagators. Has this already been achieved and is it unique?
If this can be done, then even though corrections are manifest only at the Planck scale, the fault appears to lie more with experimental limitations than with string theory.