Today I posted an essay on the essence of Quantum Physics at www.jacob2012.com/essays/quantum. This is only a brief introduction to the incredibly deep theory of quantum mechanics and the assortment of quantum particles known as the Quantum Zoo.
For a more complete discussion of Quantum Theory, see http://physics.about.com/od/quantumphysics/p/quantumphysics.htm.
Quantum Physics is the most successful theory in the history of science. It accurately predicts reality at the quantum level. But a number of facts have been proven true by quantum theory that run counter to what we understand reality to be at our human level.
One of the basic realities of the Quantum Universe is the duality of particles and waves. Every quantum particle has 2 basic identities: as a discrete particle and as a continuous wave. This is Bohr’s principle of Complementarity.
How can this be? How can an electron be both a particle and a wave? It all depends on the experiment. If the experiment looks at a quantum as a discrete particle, that characteristic of the quantum is what we see. If the experiment looks at a quantum as a continuous wave, that characteristic is what is shown. Yes, this does NOT make sense at our level of human consciousness. Nonetheless, it is correct and true.
“The entrance fee that the uninitiated must pay to journey into the brave new world of unvisualizable physical reality disclosed by quantum theory and experiment is an acceptance of the view that the truths of science have greater authority that the collection of arbitrarily developed assumptions known as “common sense.” Since these scientific truths strongly suggest that we live in a quantum mechanical universe, the character of physical reality as we know it in quantum physics represents our best understanding to date of the conditions for our being and becoming in the vast cosmos. However odd or strange this reality might initially appear, it constitutes, from a scientific point of view, the “way things are.” (Kafatos & Nadeau, 1990, p. 38).
We need to update human understanding of Reality. We live in a Quantum Mechanical Universe!
Kafatos, M. & Nadeau, R. (1990) The Conscious Universe. Springer-Verlag New York, Inc., 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
You and the Universe are Energy
According to my last post, “We need a new paradigm that incorporates the new perspective provided by Einstein that the Universe has only 1 thing: energy.” You can read the entire essay at www.jacob2012.com/essays/einstein.
When I took high school physics in the early 1970s, we were taught that the Universe was made up of 2 things: matter and energy. Matter made up everything here on Earth and energy came from the Sun. But when we start to really understand what Einstein said, we realize that matter is another form of energy.
You may ask yourself “Why do I need to think of myself as an energy form? After all, I’m doing just fine as a person with a solid material body. What is this energy stuff going to do for me anyway? Why is this important for everyday life?”
Those are great questions. Believe it or not, those questions are what I think about. To them, I would add “What happens to you when you die?” and “What is the purpose of Life?”
I would like to say, with all due humility, that I believe I have been shown some answers. But the answers are not easy to explain. Language gets in the way. By this, I mean that we need to have a common frame of reference in our dialogue in order for knowledge transformation to take place.
My series of essays are laying the groundwork for what I am trying to say. It may take some time to properly lay all of the necessary and required background material. But then, Life, Death and Life After Death are some pretty deep subjects that are worthy of intelligent discourse. It is important to not rush and ensure that I am doing this right.
With all that being said, try thinking of yourself as an energy form. Watch the ebb and flow of your emotions – internal waves of energy – during the day as you go about daily routine. See others as energy forms. It will take time. With sufficient practice, you will start to change your perspective.
I hope this helps explain where I am going with the essays and associated blogs. This week, I will finalize the discussion of the 5 important discoveries with essays on Quantum Physics and the Aspect Experiment.
Stay tuned and enjoy the ride!
When I took high school physics in the early 1970s, we were taught that the Universe was made up of 2 things: matter and energy. Matter made up everything here on Earth and energy came from the Sun. But when we start to really understand what Einstein said, we realize that matter is another form of energy.
You may ask yourself “Why do I need to think of myself as an energy form? After all, I’m doing just fine as a person with a solid material body. What is this energy stuff going to do for me anyway? Why is this important for everyday life?”
Those are great questions. Believe it or not, those questions are what I think about. To them, I would add “What happens to you when you die?” and “What is the purpose of Life?”
I would like to say, with all due humility, that I believe I have been shown some answers. But the answers are not easy to explain. Language gets in the way. By this, I mean that we need to have a common frame of reference in our dialogue in order for knowledge transformation to take place.
My series of essays are laying the groundwork for what I am trying to say. It may take some time to properly lay all of the necessary and required background material. But then, Life, Death and Life After Death are some pretty deep subjects that are worthy of intelligent discourse. It is important to not rush and ensure that I am doing this right.
With all that being said, try thinking of yourself as an energy form. Watch the ebb and flow of your emotions – internal waves of energy – during the day as you go about daily routine. See others as energy forms. It will take time. With sufficient practice, you will start to change your perspective.
I hope this helps explain where I am going with the essays and associated blogs. This week, I will finalize the discussion of the 5 important discoveries with essays on Quantum Physics and the Aspect Experiment.
Stay tuned and enjoy the ride!
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Variation on a Theme of Einstein
Today we are discussing the work of Albert Einstein. 1905 was a phenomenal year for Einstein. He published 3 significant papers that changed the face of physics and scientific thought. The first paper explained the Photoelectric Effect, the second paper provided the seeds of the Special Theory of Relativity, and the third paper used statistical analysis to explain Brownian motion.
For a complete discussion, see http://www.humboldt1.com/~gralsto/einstein/1905.html
What a year! What a set of accomplishments!
In the continuation of my discussion of 5 important discoveries that have shaped Mankind’s intellectual growth, I have posted an essay that expands upon Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity and the famous equation E=mc2. You can read the essay at www.jacob2012.com/essays/einstein.
To summarize, Einstein’s equation E=mc2 states that energy and mass are equivalent. When you boil away all the hype, that equation means that you, me, and everything in the Universe is a form of energy.
Yes. The chair on which you are sitting is a form of energy. The computer screen is a form of energy. Your eyes as they read this missive are forms of energy interpreting written forms of energy that contain additional meaning as agreed upon by other humans.
We need a new paradigm that incorporates the new perspective provided by Einstein that the Universe has only 1 thing: energy.
For a complete discussion, see http://www.humboldt1.com/~gralsto/einstein/1905.html
What a year! What a set of accomplishments!
In the continuation of my discussion of 5 important discoveries that have shaped Mankind’s intellectual growth, I have posted an essay that expands upon Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity and the famous equation E=mc2. You can read the essay at www.jacob2012.com/essays/einstein.
To summarize, Einstein’s equation E=mc2 states that energy and mass are equivalent. When you boil away all the hype, that equation means that you, me, and everything in the Universe is a form of energy.
Yes. The chair on which you are sitting is a form of energy. The computer screen is a form of energy. Your eyes as they read this missive are forms of energy interpreting written forms of energy that contain additional meaning as agreed upon by other humans.
We need a new paradigm that incorporates the new perspective provided by Einstein that the Universe has only 1 thing: energy.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Cantor and Infinity
After a brief respite for evaluation, I posted a new essay with more details on Georg Cantor’s definition of Infinity. You can read it here at www.jacob2012.com/essays/cantor. This essay discusses the impact of Cantor’s work in mathematics and infinity, specifically the differences between finite numbers, a countable infinity, and uncountable infinity.
We seldom, if ever, come upon an uncountably infinity in our daily lives. We may think that Bill Gates and Warren Buffet have an infinite amount of money – and $56 billion may seem like an infinite amount of money that would take an entire lifetime to spend, but it is still finite. An example of a countable infinity are the natural or counting numbers (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, …….). Even the set of all fractions – the Rational numbers – are a countable infinity since they can be mapped directly onto the natural numbers.
An example of an uncountable infinity are the Real Numbers. You can think of the Reals as all of the numbers between 0 and 1 – also denoted as the closed set [0,1]. If every person on Earth spent their entire lifetime counting the Real Numbers, we would never, ever count them all!
For a more in-depth discussion, go here http://pirate.shu.edu/projects/reals/infinity/uncntble.html and infinity http://www.mattababy.org/~belmonte/Publications/Books/CSaW/5_infinity.html
If you really concentrate on infinity and you get a headache or stomach-ache, then you’re on the right track in your attempt to feel and/or intuit infinity. Keep up the good work!
We seldom, if ever, come upon an uncountably infinity in our daily lives. We may think that Bill Gates and Warren Buffet have an infinite amount of money – and $56 billion may seem like an infinite amount of money that would take an entire lifetime to spend, but it is still finite. An example of a countable infinity are the natural or counting numbers (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, …….). Even the set of all fractions – the Rational numbers – are a countable infinity since they can be mapped directly onto the natural numbers.
An example of an uncountable infinity are the Real Numbers. You can think of the Reals as all of the numbers between 0 and 1 – also denoted as the closed set [0,1]. If every person on Earth spent their entire lifetime counting the Real Numbers, we would never, ever count them all!
For a more in-depth discussion, go here http://pirate.shu.edu/projects/reals/infinity/uncntble.html and infinity http://www.mattababy.org/~belmonte/Publications/Books/CSaW/5_infinity.html
If you really concentrate on infinity and you get a headache or stomach-ache, then you’re on the right track in your attempt to feel and/or intuit infinity. Keep up the good work!
Friday, October 10, 2008
Sorry for the break in postings
Hi, everyone! Sorry for not posting the last 10 days. I've let the financial meltdown of the American and global financial systems get me down. I'm human, afterall! It just feels like we are living through October 1929 all over again.
Please send your healing thoughts and prayers to the stock markets and financial systems of the world to help them stablize. Please pray that investors regain confidence in the markets and stop pulling out their monies.
I am asking this not to protect the rich, greedy bastards that caused this problem. I am asking for your help for the billions of poor people that will be devastated by the depression that will follow a complete financial system meltdown. There are already 3.5 billion poor people that barely survive. The present financial meltdown will send the marginally sufficient into poverty as well as many middle class people that were manipulated into egregious debt.
With all that being said, however, here is a link to help put our problems in perspective. If we think the current global financial crisis is bad, consider what we are doing to our natural environment! From the BBC News: Nature loss 'dwarfs bank crisis'
Here's the link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7662565.stm
Have a great weekend!
Please send your healing thoughts and prayers to the stock markets and financial systems of the world to help them stablize. Please pray that investors regain confidence in the markets and stop pulling out their monies.
I am asking this not to protect the rich, greedy bastards that caused this problem. I am asking for your help for the billions of poor people that will be devastated by the depression that will follow a complete financial system meltdown. There are already 3.5 billion poor people that barely survive. The present financial meltdown will send the marginally sufficient into poverty as well as many middle class people that were manipulated into egregious debt.
With all that being said, however, here is a link to help put our problems in perspective. If we think the current global financial crisis is bad, consider what we are doing to our natural environment! From the BBC News: Nature loss 'dwarfs bank crisis'
Here's the link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7662565.stm
Have a great weekend!
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