David Zulewski, St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute
When pondering the proposed conundrum of the Theory of Everything, one could easily become lost in the foreboding notion that such a formula would spell an end to the creative process of experimentation, which scientists cherish. Yet, even if science evolves to the point that any physical question could be answered through a simple equation, I believe that this marks the dawn of a new age, not the end of the world.
I, a humble student, have observed natural forces and reactions at work in my daily life since I first obtained sight. When I jumped into the air, I curiously returned to its surface a moment later. I knew that all things which go up must come down. When my physics teacher told me that this seemingly abstract process was gravity, I did not bemoan the explanation as an adult would lament over the loss of childhood innocence. Rather, I became excited at the prospect that this answer allowed me to approach far grander topics, such as the orbits of faraway planets. Even though I myself did not discover the empirical and qualitative aspects of gravity, I became a wiser man when this knowledge was revealed to me. Now that I know what gravity is and how it works in our universe, I am free to explore the far more riveting question: Why?
If humanity were to access this “Grand Unification” equation, then our species would quickly master any known problems associated with the fundamental forces. Just as the invention of the calculator expedited mathematical processes, this equation would allow researchers and engineers alike to reach their desired answer far more efficiently than they would have previously. With more time available to them, due to the profound shortcut of this formula, they could then begin to consider questions about the nature of why the universe acts as it does, instead of solely focusing on the processes themselves. Additionally, just as anyone can use a calculator, more people could be empowered by this equation to solve any manner of physical questions. By using this easily accessible, grand formula, a myriad of people, who previously may have viewed science negatively for its complex equations and relationships, could now utilize the same technique as other scientists. Surely, with science being more technically comprehensible, more would be encouraged to go into scientific fields, adding their new observations to existing knowledge.
Ever since the great intellectual debates of the Ancient Greeks, people have questioned if the universe contains a telos, which is an order that gives all things a reason to exist. This new Theory of Everything would be exactly how science could further pursue questions of the origins and reasons behind the forces of the universe. Perhaps, scientists would achieve what philosophers have long-deemed impossible: an empirical explanation of the purpose behind life. Just as when studying for a math test, memorizing equations for specific problems is less useful than recognizing the overarching pattern, which infallibly leads to comprehension and mastery.