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Eric Weinstein discusses [[Quantum Gravity|Quantum Gravity (QG)]] as a non-historical paradigm that emerged abruptly, induced stagnation in fundamental physics, and enforces false but unquestionable narratives, potentially tied to institutional or security motives. He contrasts it with alternatives like Geometric Unity (GU), emphasizing unification over quantization. Below is a breakdown organized thematically, drawing verbatim from his social media posts.
 
== Abrupt Emergence and Non-Historical Status ==
Weinstein repeatedly states that QG is not a natural or longstanding goal but a sudden replacement for earlier pursuits like Unified Field Theory, lacking historical precedence.
 
* "There is an interesting story I don’t know well enough. Many will recall the phrase 'Unified Field Theory' as the hoped for ‘Theory of Everything.’ At some point this got replaced by [[Quantum Gravity|“Quantum Gravity”]] as the goal. Does anyone know the full story behind this? Was it ‘70s? And how?" (February 17, 2019).<ref>[https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/1097020781987475457 February 17, 2019]</ref>
* [[Quantum Gravity|"Quantum Gravity]] is a 69 year long slow-motion suicide pact. Can we discuss it? No we cannot. That would require discussing its modern origins in 1953 and 1957. It is, by now, too big to fail. It is not even the elephant in the room. It’s the blue whale in physics’ linen closet." (November 7, 2022).<ref>[https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/1589644546920837120 November 7, 2022]</ref>
* "“Quantum Gravity” is not the historical “Holy Grail” of physics as is currently claimed." (June 21, 2025).<ref>[https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/1936556106927899919 June 21, 2025]</ref>
* "I don't think [Quantum Gravity] as it is practiced is a real research program. It is the obvious candidate for the 'inhibitor' that, when added to research, stagnated physics...and it didn't come out of some longstanding program from the birth of quantum mechanics. It came out of nowhere right before we stopped making progress on the Lagrangian of the real world." (June 12, 2025).<ref>[https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/1932978908464623855 June 12, 2025]</ref>
* "There is a tell when listening to physics folks as to whether they’re captured by the 1984 Quantum Gravity virus. They either say: A) “General Relativity has to be reconciled with the Standard Model.” or B) “General Relativity has to be reconciled with Quantum Theory.”" (October 30, 2025).<ref>[https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/1983883266920837120 October 30, 2025]</ref>
* "I would point you to my favorite documents. Gell-Mann’s 1983 Keynote from Shelter Island II is the best of all because it is RIGHT before the GS anomaly cancellation. QG is not one of the leading 4 problems at the time. Clearly... Witten’s 1986 'Physics and Geometry' address to the ICM. It is clear that the quantum is not even in the top 3 insights of fundamental physics as he sees it. It’s all classical field theory. And that is Ed. This QG focus titrated by energy level is a very late focus. It’s a very Ken Wilson/QFT centric view of the SM." (November 2, 2025).<ref>[https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/1985096216920837120 November 2, 2025]</ref>
 
He ties this to post-Manhattan Project changes: "We took whole areas of physics off line after the Manhattan project and that was *NOT* limited to just the Nuclear Physics of nuclear warheads" (June 12, 2025).<ref>[https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/1932978911018954943 June 12, 2025]</ref>
* "CLAIM: These FAKE and REAL programs will keep going and extend to [[The Golden Age of General Relativity|'The Golden Age of General Relativity']]." (June 12, 2025).<ref>[https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/1932978913602584840 June 12, 2025]</ref>
 
== QG as a Paralyzing and Stagnating Force ==
Weinstein describes QG as inducing "permanent paralytic failure," turning physics into unfailing "toy models" and causing 50-year stagnation.
 
* "Instantly stop all progress in the world’s most successful scientific community using only two words inducing permanent paralytic failure that cannot be questioned. I’ll go first: [[Quantum Gravity|“Quantum Gravity”]]." (November 7, 2022).<ref>[https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/1589640516920837120 November 7, 2022]</ref>
* "By mumbling [[Quantum Gravity|“Quantum Gravity”]] every 2 minutes as a mantra and recasting actual High Energy Physics as “Phenomenology” they mis-educated an entire generation to think “toy physics” was real physics. It’s unbelievable. Toy physics is real geometry & topology. But it ain’t physics." (April 22, 2021).<ref>[https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/1385263871347159044 April 22, 2021]</ref>
* "Real physics: A) Works with dimension 4. B) Works with SU(3)xSU(2)xU(1). C) Uses observed quantum numbers. D) Accepts Lorentzian Signature. E) Focuses on 3 Generation. There is *Nothing* wrong with toy models now and then. But we are talking *entire careers* playing with toys." (April 22, 2021).<ref>[https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/1385263872240537604 April 22, 2021]</ref>
* "We tell people who are basically mathematicians that they’re physicists. Well, they aren’t. Physicists say things about the world. And those things *need* to be potentially wrong to qualify as physics. We have a culture of people who can’t *afford* error. So they just do math." (April 22, 2021).<ref>[https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/1385263873117155328 April 22, 2021]</ref>
* "No theory lead advance in fundamental physics for almost 50 years, yet no soul searching about who lost physics?? Are we kidding?" (April 22, 2021).<ref>[https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/1385263864481124360 April 22, 2021]</ref>
* "Physics in 1980: “I’m trying to grasp why nature has 3 generations of chiral fermions with SU(3)xSU(2)xU(1) internal symmetry.” Physics Today: “Remind me again what the internal quantum numbers are? I do [quantum gravity] so it’s not something I’ve worked with since my QFT class.”" (August 24, 2022).<ref>[https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/1562460746920497153 August 24, 2022]</ref>
* "To put it bluntly, it is not just that [[Quantum Gravity]] doesn't work. It's that you can't comfortably question Quatnum Gravity because the failed investment is on a scale that I think is difficult for us to contemplate. It includes [StringTheory], Loop Quantum Gravity, AdS/CFT etc." (February 2, 2023).<ref>[https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/1621054186920837120 February 2, 2023]</ref>
* "Next Year, will be 40 years of failure for modern [[String Theory|StringTheory]] to ship a product. To be clear and STEELMAN the argument for strings, it *is* a remarkable framework. It is REAL math. It teaches us things no other framework has. But, it *destroyed* the culture of honest physics." (February 2, 2023).<ref>[https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/1621054190691975168 February 2, 2023]</ref>
* "We spent almost 80% of this time being told that ST was a 'Piece of 21st Century Physics that fell into the 20th Century.' Uh. Bullshit. That is an excuse. It's not clear that it's physics at all. It's a 'Failed piece of 20th Century Physics still hanging around in the 21stC'." (February 2, 2023).<ref>[https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/1621054193426661376 February 2, 2023]</ref>
* "We need to spend perhaps 5yrs asking 'If the leaders have not succeeded for FIVE DECADES in moving beyond the [Standard Model], then why are they leading this field and directing the resources, research, and path forward? What if we listened to those who the leadership push aside?'" (February 2, 2023).<ref>[https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/1621054201957847040 February 2, 2023]</ref>
* "And then the massive massive massive screw up was allowing the totalizing madness of [“Quantum Gravity”] to take over HEP-TH as if it were [[The Only Game in Town|“The Only Game In Town”]] and letting its leadership brainwash the up and coming talent into believing that there was one true path. Totally insane." (October 7, 2025).<ref>[https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/1975659241781575728 October 7, 2025]</ref>
 
He calls for reforms: "I’d propose total reassessment of the National Physics program. Much greater autonomy for theorists. *Much* higher salaries. Much greater *diversity* of approaches. More high precision work. Fewer graduate programs. Physics = economic/security priority. Admit String Thy failure." (April 22, 2021).<ref>[https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/1385263862698577922 April 22, 2021]</ref>
 
== Ties to String Theory and Enforced Monopoly ==
Weinstein equates QG with String Theory (ST), criticizing its culture for rewriting standards, inability to fail, and "The Only Game in Town" (TOGIT) monopoly.
 
* "What has string theory done to become the poster child of failed physics? It hasn’t even failed... because it can’t fail. So far as I can see, it can never fail. In the minds of the faithful, It’s unable to fail because it *has* to be the way forward." (August 23, 2022).<ref>[https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/1562121666924504705 August 23, 2022]</ref>
* "A) High energy physics of real particles became the no-energy physics of toy models. B) Quantizing Gravity was substituted for unification or extension of the Standard model. C) Other research programs were obliterated because ST claimed it had it all rapped up. D) Hype won. E) Focus shifted to mathematical structure of abstract field/ [String/M theory]. Not our particular world’s choice of thy. F) Standards of scientific progress were rewritten to disguise failure. G) Differential application of standards became the norm. It ended physics culture." (August 24, 2022).<ref>[https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/1562463292345372672 August 24, 2022]</ref>
* "[String Theory] isn’t the problem. String culture is poisonous to science. String theory, like love, means never having to say your sorry. Or mistaken." (August 24, 2022).<ref>[https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/1562465038962610178 August 24, 2022]</ref>
* "The issue is the “String Theory is the only game in town” which appears designed to destroy fundamental physics itself... The defining feature of String Theory is that it would rather fundamental physics die than that String Theory face healthy adult rivals that were not maimed, crippled, stolen, or murdered in their cribs." (April 15, 2025).<ref>[https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/1912032953896673603 April 15, 2025]</ref>
* "The appearance of String-Theory/M-theory as “The Only Game in Town” (TOGIT) has no precedence... The rivals never got heard." (August 16, 2025).<ref>[https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/1956769068188594232 August 16, 2025]</ref>
* "Congratulations to: @thebadstats @daveexplains @GurusPod @IAmTimNguyen / @Google @Samuel_Gregson @C_Kavanagh @ArthurCDent @kagankans / @WSJ You just showed the world why Quantum Gravity/StringTheory/M-Theory is “The Only Game in Town”: Group Bullying * kills* Scientific Dissent" (September 17, 2025).<ref>[https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/1968365361382002922 September 17, 2025]</ref>
* "Right Freeway: GR and SM must be harmonized. Wrong Exit: Catastrophic leadership decisions. “Gravity must be quantized and only String Theory and M-Theory can do it. Convert or perish! All mere mortals stand back. We will have this wrapped up in 10 years!! Give us all resources and young talent now.”" (October 7, 2025).<ref>[https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/1975659241781575728 October 7, 2025]</ref>
 
In debates: "GUTs are a good test case. I believe you are in error going after Beauty when it comes to Grand Unified Theory. Your critique to Neil Degrasse Tyson recently applied to Georgi and Glashow Basic SU(5)
but not to Pati-Salaam SU(4) x SU(2) x SU(2) for example." (November 7, 2022).<ref>[https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/1589668086921473408 November 7, 2022]</ref>
 
== Institutional, Ethical, and Security Aspects ==
Weinstein speculates QG as a "mass delusion" or construct to suppress dangerous physics, involving ethical issues and "Managed Reality."
 
* "The Q-Gravity Mass Delusion is quite different in character. It is highly specific in its effect. It is tied to all sorts of weirdness involving top physics and math people, bizarre funders, forgotten research institutes, aerospace companies, post Manhattan Project government secrecy, the golden age of General Relativity and
words fail me
outright quackery." (November 7, 2022).<ref>[https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/1589666446920837120 November 7, 2022]</ref>
* "What I do wonder about is whether the U.S. government is blocking all public university fundamental physics preemptively with [quantum gravity]
while likely *failing* at it in secret (e.g. in national labs) as well." (June 22, 2025).<ref>[https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/1936975226923150562 June 22, 2025]</ref>
* "We may be faking a [[Quantum Gravity]] revolution... We may be lying that all the competitors to String theory are all bad science or PseudoScience." (June 23, 2025).<ref>[https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/1937032792971612619 June 23, 2025]</ref>
* "No researcher can afford to lose access to the arXiv. And no one talking openly about the actual [[Quantum Gravity]] mass delusion can have access to the journals & arXIv. You cannot challenge the QG narrative from the inside; its achievement is that it finally made physics *safe*." (June 3, 2025).<ref>[https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/1930004307732247023 June 3, 2025]</ref>
* "We have a [[Quantum Gravity]] narrative... It’s all one thing that cannot be named: National Interest “Managed Reality.”" (July 5, 2025).<ref>[https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/1941522174428565613 July 5, 2025]</ref>
* "[[Quantum Gravity]] has been a catastrophe... And in all cases you lose your standing in the community for saying the obvious." (September 25, 2025).<ref>[https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/1971105526920837120 September 25, 2025]</ref>
* "The freedom of credentialed technical experts to dissent FROM WITHIN THE SYSTEM is at the heart of what is wrong with science..." (September 25, 2025).<ref>[https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/1971105526920837120 September 25, 2025]</ref>
* "All physicists are expected to parrot a party line: 'Our two greatest theories are General Relativity... and the Standard Model... Unfortunately, they are incompatible because one is a quantum theory while the other is merely classical. That is why... a theory of quantum gravity (QG) has been seen as the holy grail... But quantizing gravity must occur... So the ultimate theory of QG remains physics’ top priority.' Or words to that effect. On the other hand this is wrong in many ways. But it can’t be discussed rationally because funding hinges on it. It’s a life or death fairy tale." (July 26, 2025).<ref>[https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/1949075689174647063 July 26, 2025]</ref>
 
== Alternatives and Geometric Unity Contrasts ==
Weinstein positions GU as avoiding QG's issues, unifying via geometry without traditional quantization.
 
* "All 14 dimensions in GU are endogenous to Einstein's 4-dimensional spacetime <math>X^4</math>, derived from the bundle <math>Y^{14}(X^4)</math> of possible metric tensors." (Various posts; e.g., September 24, 2025).
* "GU rejects three generations of matter, positing two true generations plus one 'imposter.'... It predicts specific new particles... and makes explicit predictions (e.g., in section 11.3 on pages 52-53)." (September 24, 2025).
* "@seanmcarroll claims that there are no Lagrangian/Actions in GU. I put forward a DIRECT term for term comparison between his work and GU." (September 24, 2025).<ref>[https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/1970936123791900806 September 24, 2025]</ref>
* "GR isn't a proper gauge theory because the Einstein projection <math>P_E(F_{\nabla})</math> doesn't commute with gauge actions, and spinors depend on the metric. GU liberates spinors from metrics, unifies curvatures <math>F</math>, and includes explicit Lagrangians." (Derived from multiple posts).
* "GU says: “That is eminently reasonable & sober, and is thus good solid science. Now get this defeatist mindset the hell away from me, go peer review each other, and hold my beer. Send lawyers, guns & money: let’s get back to American Cowboy science.”" (November 7, 2025).<ref>[https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/1986803710551290047 November 7, 2025]</ref>
 
He critiques QG's blocking: "The rivals never got heard." (August 16, 2025).<ref>[https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/1956769068188594232 August 16, 2025]</ref>
 
In summary, Weinstein's posts depict QG as a "catastrophe" and "mass delusion" that "destroyed" physics culture, urging dissent and alternatives like GU. His language stresses its non-historical, paralyzing nature, with direct calls to question the enforced narrative.
 


== On X ==
== On X ==
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* [[We may be faking a UFO situation]]
* [[We may be faking a UFO situation]]


== References ==
<references />


[[Category:Portal Topics‏‎]]
[[Category:Portal Topics‏‎]]
[[Category:Physics]]
[[Category:Physics]]
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