"So what will you do if string theory is wrong?"

TL;DR

This paper explores the potential outcomes if string theory is proven false, suggesting that its core ideas might persist independently as a new discipline separate from traditional physics and mathematics.

Contribution

It proposes that string theory could evolve into an independent discipline if its falsification occurs, highlighting a novel perspective on its future role.

Findings

String theory's core concepts may survive falsification.

String theory could become an independent discipline.

The survival of string theory's ideas might redefine its scientific status.

Abstract

I briefly discuss the accomplishments of string theory that would survive a complete falsification of the theory as a model of nature and argue the possibility that such a survival may necessarily mean that string theory would become its own discipline, independently of both physics and mathematics.