From Newton to Darwin and Einstein, scientists have presented their theories as uncovering the true nature of the world. Yet one of the most central theories, quantum mechanics, seems to make this impossible. Its founding father, Heisenberg, concluded that science was not able to describe reality. Today in many different fields scientists refer to their theories as models rather than descriptions of reality. Yet many still promote the public image that they are uncovering as the ultimate truth.
Is it time to jettison the idea that science is uncovering the ultimate form of the universe? Or is it essential to the scientific project to maintain the dream of discovering the very nature of reality once and for all?
Award-winning theoretical physicist Claudia de Rham, Closure theorist Hilary Lawson and philosopher and author of Translating the World: Science and Language Sundar Sarukkai go head to head to investigate whether science can really uncover the secrets of the universe.