Abstract
Mathematics leaves unanswered questions for which theoretical physicists offer educated guesses. We do not know what cause is. Even so, theoretical physicists have stepped forward to explain cause. Should we trust the theoretical interpretations that are placed upon parts of the equations that model the patterns in empirical evidence? Should unity begin with the fundamentals instead of being an afterthought? This essay discusses the role played by imagination in theoretical explanations. It considers the problems and risks that theory encounters. It emphasizes the necessity to account for intelligent life. It suggests a new role for theoretical physics.
James A Putnam