Dr. David Kagan speaks on unification theory

Is physics one?  That’s the topic for discussion when Temple Habonim member,  Dr. David Kagan, a physicist and faculty member at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, speaks Jan. 19 at 7 p.m.

Humanity has long been enamored with the concept of unity. In Judaism, the central prayer during morning and evening services is the Shema, a declaration of God’s Oneness. Belief in God’s oneness is perhaps one of the few unifying features of the diverse threads of Jewish thought, from ancient times to present day.

In physics, the pursuit of unifying descriptions of nature has led to astonishing realizations. The unity of electric and magnetic phenomena, of mass and energy, of space and time, are examples of seemingly different phenomena brought together by a deeper understanding of our physical universe. Both quantum physics and Einstein’s theories of relativity have produced such unifying realizations. And yet, bringing these pillars of physics together has proved too difficult so far.

Will our understanding of nature remain fundamentally fractured? It’s possible, but many physicists hold fast to a belief in a unified theory. Kagan will describe the history of unification, address the philosophical, logical and aesthetic motivations for seeking a unified theory, and describe aspects of String Theory, an approach that has yielded fascinating insights, but has so far been impossible to bring under the rigorous light of experiment.

This program is free and open to the community. Temple Habonim is located at 165 New Meadow Road, Barrington. For information, contact office@templehabonim.org

– Submitted by

Temple Habonim