UNIVERSAL REALITY
UNIVERSAL REALITY
Early in the twentieth century two successful theories were conceived that to date have not been contradicted by the results of the numerous experiments designed to confirm or disprove them. The first of these was Albert Einstein's theory of Relativity that demonstrates, amongst a number of physical phenomena, that space and time are not absolute but depend on the (relative) speed between us, the observer, the instruments that make space-time measurement for us and the event being observed. The second theory, Quantum Mechanics, asserts that matter cannot be divided into smaller and smaller portions but at a very small scale reaches a particulate state (think of the shift that occurs when apportioning rice, first a scoop from the cooker, then off your plate by the spoonful until- here is the shift- only individual grains are left that no spoon of any measure could divide). The theory was developed over a period of many decades by a large number of prominent physicists of whom Max Planck, Niels Bohr, Werner Heisenberg and Erwin Schrödinger are amongst those credited with its foundation. Quantum theory provides very accurate predictions about physical effects at the microscopic (spatial) scales of elementary particles called quanta. The arrival of Quantum Mechanics also brought an apparent contradiction: the theory of Relativity is not a Quantum theory since it permits its measures to be infinitely divided, thus both theories appeared to be mutually exclusive.
Relativity actually comprises two theories: the "Special" and "General" theories of Relativity. The latter is really a theory of the gravity (force) field and its equivalence to accelerating a mass (think of how the force of gravity initially seems to increase when we go up in an elevator and then decrease as it comes to a halt at its next stop). The General theory supplanted the first theory of gravity formulated by Isaac Newton in the seventeenth century (with the hindsight of Relativity a non-relativistic limit case). The Special theory is actually a general theory of the geometry of space in which time is assigned a fourth dimension in addition to the three of space. The theory describes the relative character of what it calls 'space-time' that becomes apparent at speeds approaching or equal to that of light with respect to the observer. Now motion is not a force field and while light is an electromagnetic force, Special Relativity is not a theory of light either, but introduces an important and experimentally verified assertion that the speed of light is constant no matter where we would measure it (i.e. light is a physical phenomenon, its speed is another- albeit related relation between space and time). The speed of light could be measured in say a spacecraft that travels at a known fraction of the speed of light. Let us suppose that a message is transmitted on a laser light beam from its home planet to the spacecraft. According to Relativity the crew would measure the same speed for the laser light beam aboard the spacecraft as measured back on the home planet- and not with the speed of the spacecraft subtracted on the outbound of its mission or added when it is on its return trip. This result forces us to accept that the velocity of light is the same everywhere, i.e. it is invariant while time and space are not.
The theory of electromagnetism is assumed to be compatible with the principles of Relativity (whose central tenet after all is the constancy of the speed of light), however, it was actually formulated by James Maxwell in the nineteenth century, predating Relativity and thus is not considered relativistic. Although Quantum Mechanics is not relativistic either, further theoretical development has taken certain relativistic effects on quantum objects into account. Quantum Mechanics deals with force fields and phenomena of elementary particles at such a short range that they are not apparent on human (macroscopic) scales. While gravity and electromagnetism are experienced at a macroscopic scale, they also have an observable effect on elementary particles. Scientists have succeeded in unifying the two forces of the quantum world (the so-called strong and weak forces) and have devised a theory which connects these with the electromagnetic force (an electromagnetic field can be observed in quantum packets called photons, its unification implies that under certain conditions the three forces become identical). However, Einstein's theory of gravity is geometric and not particulate in nature, hence, so far all attempts to unify gravity with the other three forces have failed (theories have been proposed in which gravity waves also propagate in quantum packets, but none have been detected to date).
The 'Unireal' web presentation introduces a new concept for space-time and its geometry that expands Relativity and provides it with a broader foundation (for the postulates of its theories). This expansion does not so much show that Relativity is incomplete but that the conventional understanding of it has been inadequate. Similarly, the conventional interpretation of Quantum Mechanics is shown to be inconsistent. It should almost be expected that two correct yet incompatible theories should both be misunderstood: if comprehension of one would have been complete it should have permitted identification of the deficiency that rendered the other incompatible. This lack of understanding caused a second way in which Relativity relates to our reality to be overlooked. Although Relativity and the accuracy of its predictions on a macroscopic scale was verified and confirmed on numerous occasions, neither yielded any meaningful insight into the microscopic realm of elementary particles. The presentation at this web site shows that the equations of Relativity can be recast in a different form that is applicable to elementary objects. The different way in which Relativity can be applied affects our observation of reality by precipitating a discontinuity that accounts for the dual nature of elementary particles: their wave and particulate nature. Space and time are shown to have a truly geometric relationship regardless of the scale at which these are observed. This geometry explains the nature of time, electromagnetism and gravity, and provides a basis for unifying the so-called four "fundamental forces" mentioned above
A detailed account of the newly unfolded space-time geometry will be found in the main texts. Those unversed in physics, particularly Relativity and those who prefer to skip the associated mathematics may wish to continue at this point with an informal introduction to the subject of the main text.
Next follows a brief discussion on Relativity, including how it is misconceived, in preparation of its more detailed presentation in the main text of this web site.
Our experience of space is that it has three dimensions, meaning any point in space can be defined by the length (magnitude) of the projections (called component vectors) of its location in space on typically three orthogonal co-ordinates measured from the latter's cross-section (called the origin). The line connecting the point to the origin is called a radius or composite vector (of the component vectors). A vector that lies on two intersecting surfaces is called a fundamental or axial vector (about which the surfaces can rotate). Vectors have length and direction like an arrow, the basic concept can be seen by holding a long object, such as a ruler representing the composite vector at some angle to a flat surface, the foreshortened shadow cast by the ruler from overhead lighting will be like the component vector.
The treatment of time in science is ambivalent: while quantum mechanics will permit time to be positive or negative, Relativity assumes time only to have magnitude (called scalar) as opposed to a vector which has magnitude and direction. Yet in relativistic calculations time always manifests itself as if a fourth dimension perpendicular to the three dimensions of space, no matter the direction of the space vector (the orientation of the space co-ordinates is arbitrary according to Relativity). Hence, while not accorded direction in the sense of having freedom of orientation, time is in effect acceded to be the co-ordinate of this fourth dimension on which a time lapse lies in essence like a component vector. Nonetheless, time in our macroscopic world is assumed to go only forward, as it has never been observed to intersect the past- the 'arrow of time' is considered unidirectional. However, a component vector like our ruler above has a 'source'- it is the projection of a composite vector on a co-ordinate, yet a time-like composite had not been differentiated until this web site revealed its existence. Instead Relativity assumes that the interaction between time and space is a composite vector it calls 'interval' and overlooks the inconsistency that it is formed between scalar time and a spatial component vector.
This web site presents a philosophical basis for time to have three dimensions just like space. This conclusion is reached by three separate approaches: one by expanding a mathematical foundation known as class theory and second by completing a branch of mathematics called vector theory, and finally by clearing away anomalies in physics (in Quantum Mechanics and Relativity) of which some have already been mentioned. Interestingly, removal of the oversights, inconsistencies and false assumptions leads to a geometrical relationship between space and time that explains why the composite and component vectors that represent time should all appear to be perpendicular to the three vectors of space. More importantly it leads to the resolution of the incompatibility of Quantum Mechanics and Relativity and so explains the three most enigmatic phenomena of the reality we experience- time, matter and gravity.
Next follows a sampling of the ramification of the space-time geometry in the main text on current physics.