Physics today dazzles with its predictive success, yet risks losing sight of its deeper purpose. The Standard Model can forecast experimental outcomes to twelve decimal places, but it functions like a cosmic accounting system – accurate, yet silent on why the universe is arranged this way. Its free parameters and unexplained constants are “dials” we turn to make the equations work, without knowing why they have those precise values. Like the Ptolemaic system of epicycles, such predictive triumphs can mask fundamental misunderstandings, giving us the illusion of completeness while leaving the essence of reality unexplained
The history of physics shows that true revolutions came not from refining predictions but from daring to ask “why.” Copernicus, Einstein, Maxwell, and Bohr reshaped science by re-imagining principles, not tweaking formulas. Understanding, not prediction, is what turns physics from a user manual into a genuine story of the universe. By restoring curiosity about constants, re-examining assumptions, and prioritizing explanation over mere accuracy, physics can once again become a quest for meaning – illuminating not just what happens, but why it happens.