What is String Theory?

1994/11/04 by Joseph Polchinski, Polchinski, Joseph · 2 citations
Computer Science · Physics and Astronomy · #Computational Physics and Python Applications #FOS: Physical sciences #High Energy Physics - Theory (hep-th) #Quantum and Classical Electrodynamics #Relativity and Gravitational Theory #hep-th

paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.hep-th/9411028

153 pages, 30 figures. Lectures presented at the 1994 Les Houches Summer School ``Fluctuating Geometries in Statistical Mechanics and Field Theory.'' (also available at http://xxx.lanl.gov/lh94/ )

arxiv created 1994/11/04 · openalex publication_date 1994/11/04 · arxiv updated 2009/11/30 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28

Abstract

The first part is an introduction to conformal field theory and string perturbation theory. The second part deals with the search for a deeper answer to the question posed in the title. Contents: 1. Conformal Field Theory 2. String Theory 3. Vacua and Dualities 4. String Field Theory or Not String Field Theory 5. Matrix Models

Citations

• Quantization of Gauge Systems
• Status of Fractional Superstrings
• The World as a Hologram

Cited by

• From Matrix Models and quantum fields to Hurwitz space and the absolute Galois group
• Strings, Integrable Systems, Geometry and Statistical Models

Related

• String Field Theory
• String Field Theory: A Review
• Strings through the Microscope
• String Field Theory
• An Unreasonably Quick Introduction to String Theory, Conformal Field Theory and Geometry