Just read "The Grand Design" by Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow and I'm enjoying the aftermath of discovering that the universe doesn't just have one history, but every possible history. My head is still spinning from coming soooo close to understanding the concept that observing an event alters an event. M-theory, we find out, isn't examining how the University of Michigan football team can actually develop some defensive strategy that actually works, but the network that has eleven space-time dimensions. "M-theory can contain not just vibrating strings but also point particles, two-dimensional membranes, three-dimensional blobs, and other objects that are more difficult to picture and occupy even more dimensions of space, up to nine. These objects are called p-branes (where p runs from zero to nine)." For those of us who loved string theory, here's the next joy. Imagine the inside of a straw. M-theory allows for 10 to the 500th power different universes in the curled interior, each with its own apparent laws. We occupy only one of those possible universes. It's a nice one; I think I'll stick around. Only in this universe could I have a tshirt that reads "Physicists like p-branes" and read a great book like this one. I'm content.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Physicists Like P-branes
Just read "The Grand Design" by Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow and I'm enjoying the aftermath of discovering that the universe doesn't just have one history, but every possible history. My head is still spinning from coming soooo close to understanding the concept that observing an event alters an event. M-theory, we find out, isn't examining how the University of Michigan football team can actually develop some defensive strategy that actually works, but the network that has eleven space-time dimensions. "M-theory can contain not just vibrating strings but also point particles, two-dimensional membranes, three-dimensional blobs, and other objects that are more difficult to picture and occupy even more dimensions of space, up to nine. These objects are called p-branes (where p runs from zero to nine)." For those of us who loved string theory, here's the next joy. Imagine the inside of a straw. M-theory allows for 10 to the 500th power different universes in the curled interior, each with its own apparent laws. We occupy only one of those possible universes. It's a nice one; I think I'll stick around. Only in this universe could I have a tshirt that reads "Physicists like p-branes" and read a great book like this one. I'm content.
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In "The Grand Design" Hawking says that we are somewhat like goldfish in a curved fishbowl. Our perceptions are limited and warped by the kind of lenses we see through, “the interpretive structure of our human brains.” Albert Einstein rejected this subjective approach, common to much of quantum mechanics, but did admit that our view of reality is distorted.
ReplyDeleteEinstein’s Special Theory of Relativity has the surprising consequences that “the same event, when viewed from inertial systems in motion with respect to each other, will seem to occur at different times, bodies will measure out at different lengths, and clocks will run at different speeds.” Light does travel in a curve, due to the gravity of matter, thereby distorting views from each perspective in this Universe. Similarly, mystics’ experience in divine oneness, which might be considered the same "eternal" event, viewed from various historical, cultural and personal perspectives, have occurred with different frequencies, degrees of realization and durations. This might help to explain the diversity in the expressions or reports of that spiritual awareness. What is seen is the same; it is the "seeing" which differs.
In some sciences, all existence is described as matter or energy. In some of mysticism, only consciousness exists. Dark matter is 25%, and dark energy about 70%, of the critical density of this Universe. Divine essence, also not visible, emanates and sustains universal matter (mass/energy: visible/dark) and cosmic consciousness (f(x) raised to its greatest power). During suprarational consciousness, and beyond, mystics share in that essence to varying extents. [quoted from my e-book on comparative mysticism]