“So what will you do if string theory is wrong?”

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. 1 Electronic address: memam@clarku.eduString theory occupies a special niche in the history of science. It is the only theory of physics with no experimental backing that has managed to not only survive, but also become “the only game in town ” (to quote Sheldon Glashow [1]). In addition, the theory has gained much popularity with the general public, spurred on by accessible online accounts and popular TV programs. Judging by amateur web sites and personal discussions, there seems to be a rising belief that it is a correct theory of nature. Of course, no one knows that for sure yet. This confusion has extended even to the string physicists themselves. Although when pressed they will tell you that string theory is still in the hypothesis stage, many do act and talk as if it were confirmed that it is a correct theory of the