Physics v. Philosophy: Really?

Physics v. Philosophy: Really?

An unfortunate controversy has been unfolding over the relationship (or lack thereof) between physics and philosophy. Theoretical physicist Lawrence Krauss has published a book titled A Universe from Nothing: Why There is Something Rather than Nothing. In it, Krauss explains how modern physics has been inching toward an explanation to what is, perhaps, the hardest question we may ask: the origin of everything. It is the oldest of questions. Creation myths are an essential part of all cultures, being a rich topic of study for cultural anthropologists and historians of religion. They define the values and traditions of the cultures that create them. It’s not only the Bible that starts with a creation event.

Philosopher of science David Albert wrote a scathing review of Krauss’ book for The New York Times questioning his understanding of the meaning of “nothing.” Briefly, Albert claims that physics presumes the existence of fundamental fields in order to define nothing. Hence, it’s not really nothing, but something. There always has to be something for science to make sense of it.