Originally Posted by KFunk
It's actually the interpretation of the mathematical models which I have in mind but I geuss what I'm interested in attaining is the ability to interpret them myself rather than relying on reading someone elses'. One of the more interesting lay-person's examples that I have come across is in the huge generalization of T-duality in string theory. If you consider a closed string the idea is that you have 'momentum' modes where the energy of the mode comes in integer multiples of 1/R (where R refers to a kind of 'dimensional radius') and then you have 'winding' modes where the energy is proportional to R (since the string wraps around an integer number of times). This then gives an equivalence between a circular dimension with a radius of R and one with a radius of 1/R. It's such a simple idea (and very generalized of course) but the implications are fascinating to think about.
I figured an example would be the easiest way for me to explain what I was getting at. If you have found, or if anyone else reading this has found, anything of a similar nature, I'd be very interested to know what it is.
eventually i think that everyone or anyone who's interested in the abstracts of physics will need to start intepreting the mathematical models for themselves in order to gain a personal understanding and appreciation of physics, and to perhaps contribute and expand to the stash of knowledge of physics at hand.
however, i think that independent learning and discovery in a scientific field such as physics must begin in the right direction - under some sort of guidance. and at our level this guidance comes from "reading someone elses" perpective - those that know what they are talking about. after that, if we find ourselves even more intrigued by the workings of the universe, can our imagination and creativity bloom via our own accord.
an example isn't far away - our wish is one day to fully comprehend the mathematics behind, say, M-Theory, but we start right now at school with 4u mathematics. we need the guidance of teachers to grasp the basics of mathematics, before we can move on to more 'outlandish' endeavours - perhaps on our own with the skills we've gained from others that are apart of our early learning experience (ie. teachers, tutors, etc...).
even genii or prodigies start out like this too.
but
KFunk, what you've said about mathematics being the key incentive and drive behind your affinity toward physics is very enlightening to me. the contrast between our (and many more others i'm sure) individual reasons for the pursuit of physics really serves to remind me of the 'unifying' (excuse the pun) power of physics over the human mind and its curiosities - the fact that so many different ppl can 'gravitate' toward a single goal for whatever their disparate reasons attests to the extraordinary subjugating power of physics. for me, that's another reason why physics steals my awe ... the ppl involved in it are every bits as interesting as the discipline itself, and that includes you :uhhuh:
so i'm happy just to be part of physics right now. worrying about the complex maths behind it remains an endeavour for my uni years
P.S. i'm sure i know some examples such as the one you gave about T-duality before, except i can't recall them atm... i'll get back to you on it if i remember later. but btw, tell me something, String Theory has not yet been 'proven'... so do you really believe in extra dimensions to this universe? (other than the four we already know) because they might just turn out to be fancy mathematical/abstract constructs, and that's also one of the problems of using abstract mathematics in building physical theories and models for our universe - you don't know if it's real or imaginary.