[gaze]

Things that work on simple models motivate work on more complex models. He STARTS OUT by saying N=4 SYM is a toy model. The klein-gordon equation is unphysical but motivated a lot of good physics.

[selimthegrim]

In condensed-matter physics, toy models play with you!

http://arxiv.org/abs/cond-mat/0007254

[redhat-reallyp]

I'm not questioning whether the work has value, but the article is hyping it way beyond justification.