indian-origin physicist behind new headache... i mean, grand unified theory

oct 2nd, 2006

http://www.economist.com/science/displaystory.cfm?story_id=7963608&fsrc=nwlgafree

i am by no means proficient in physics, in fact it rather intimidates me.

but i do have a theory about theories, so i guess it's a meta-theory.

my meta-theory is that einstein was a failure compared to panini.

einstein set out to create a grand unified theory of physics. and failed to do so. and so have all theoretical physicists since einstein's time.

panini set out to create a grand unified theory of language. and succeeded spectacularly. he came up with the idea of context-free grammars 2,500 years ago. and he was able to fully specify sanskrit -- with its infinity of expression -- in a finite number of rules (4,000).

i claim panini's achievement is the greatest accomplishment of a single human mind in history.

india was the 'empire of the intellect', not only the 'empire of the spirit'.