If you were to ponder the question, “In terms of geometry, what would be the definition of ‘beauty.’ where would it lead you?
And would it be possible that the search for ‘beauty-so-defined’ might then be a rosetta stone for prediction?
Actually I think's that's what led Lisi, and is what he had in mind with this geometry he's presented. Now we have to see how well his proposal holds up.
As the old adage goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
But I suspect Lisi meant the same thing Einstein meant when he used the world "elegant."
The greatest Truths man can receive are stunning in their simplicity and power.
Christians know this personally and spiritually. And many see it also in physics and math.
Such was Einstein's E=MC2. And so might be Lisi's E8.
Another seeking that "lofty structure" as Einstein called it, is Stephen Wolfram who in "A New Kind of Science" sees the beauty or elegance in cellular automata.
Also perceiving mathematical elegance in the physical realm was Eugene Wigner who coined the term the "unreasonable effectiveness of math." And I suspect Lisa Randall and Cumrun Vafa and Roger Penrose would agree.
Whether physics or math or both, these seekers - as well as our own betty boop with whom I strongly agree - sense an elegant algorithm at the inception which gives rise to the geometry and energy/matter - and apparent complexity - of this present, physical Creation.