One of the many concepts pondered by many is the idea of time as a fourth dimension. For most of mankind's existence, we have only recognized three dimensions: length, width, and height. We can plot a point in a coordinate space using these three dimensions as shown below:
The three dimensions of length, width, and height are represented as x, y, and z axis respectively. But have you ever considered that when plotting an event in our universe, a point in space is not enough information. Consider this example. If you are walking down the sidewalk, then the event of you being in a certain position occurs in a specific space of three dimensions. However, you are no longer in that same position five seconds later. You are now farther down the sidewalk at a different location. To plot an event, the time is extremely important. We cannot plot an event in three dimensions because events often times only occur in certain positions at a certain time. Therefore, a fourth dimension, time, must be added. Dr. Hawking believes we cannot imagine a fourth dimensional object. However, I think we in our lives imagine things in fourth dimensional terms all the time. For example, recall that person walking down the sidewalk. If you think about it, it is in four dimensions, because time is allowing it to move. I think scientists are thinking too hard, coming up with objects like tesseracts that are supposed to represent four dimensional objects in three dimensions. Perhaps it is not so difficult as we make it seem.
Another way of thinking of time in three dimensions besides a tesseract, which i prefer, is shown here from Stephen Hawking's A Brief History of Time:
In this diagram, Space is represented on a two dimensional plane, while time extends upward through space, almost like a three dimensional space. You may be wondering what the cones are in this diagram. The cones represent light cones that are emitted from an event. For example, if the sun burnt out, we would not know it for another eight days. Why? Because light travels in a cone over time, and since we are so far away from the sun, it takes eight days for the "light cone" to reach us. All this cone really represents is that it takes time for an event to be seen in different parts of the world. As time goes on, the event affects more and more of space. This is the way I see it relate to our view of the universe. In our realm of 3 dimensional space, this light cone appears to be a sphere. Imagine looking at this diagram from above. It would appear to be a circle. Over time the circle would get bigger and bigger until it covered the entire space. Because space is represented in two dimensions on this diagram, it appears to be a circle, but in 3 dimensions, it is a sphere! Light from the sun goes out in all directions, acting as a sphere, so if it were to burn out, the following darkness would also be spherical.
One might ask what purpose this all has, and maybe there will be nothing gained other than a greater understanding of our universe. Nevertheless, over the course of this independent reading, I will attempt to explain what Stephen Hawking has to say about our universe and add input wherever possible. Often times, I will have to enter my own interpretations in order to make more sense of what Dr. Hawking is trying to tell us. I think that this kind of knowledge of how our universe works is very fascinating, and could show great importance to us in the future. If we know more about the universe, perhaps we can predict our future, and know more about our past. But with knowledge comes responsibility, and I have a bad feeling that the knowledge we may gain will in the end destroy us all. In attempt to predict the end of the world, we may cause it! A Brief History of Time is full of great questions, and many attempts at answering them, and I hope that as I proceed in reading it, I will be able to answer some of the many questions I have about time and the universe in general.
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ReplyDeleteThose are good questions Dan. the only problem is they are all linked to the meaning of life which is "A rutabaga". What does this mean you may ask? So I will tell you the story... A long time ago in a forgotten date in the twenty-second dimension a young man asked that question. He was in a place like ancient china. He heard about an old philosopher who lived outside the town in a cave in a mountain. Even though the town’s people told him not to go, for they thought that he was not to be trusted, he went any ways. As he approached the old man he brought out the gift of grain alcohol as instructed by the ancient tablets of old. (and no I am not contradicting myself when I say the tablets of old for they were ancient even back then)when the old man asked him what his question was, he said, “What is the meaning of life." The old man croaked, “Meet me at this time in ten years and I will give you my answer". Ten years go by and the older young man goes up to the same spot at the same time and find the old philosopher in the same place as before. As he approached, the old man looked up and said," I’ve figured it out; the meaning of life is a rutabaga." "what," said the young man," I don't understand." Finally after several minutes of contemplation he said," life is like a rutabaga because it is absolutely pointless"... so Dan, scientists have so much trouble with the concept because they can't accept the truth. And so I would recommend that you just accept this too. (Unless we talk about it on the bus and then I might already have parts of the questions figures out scientifically.
ReplyDeleteHave a Nice Day :)
Although you both made good points, The meaning of life has nothing to do with the beginning of time because scientifically they aren't connected at all. Yet the contradidctory to that would be Scince there is no meaning of life we have nothing better to do than try to figure out a way that it was created and how to destroy it. Like the atomic bombs. The people say they are just going to make them to scare other countries and so they don't get behind, but really that is a truck load of B.S. Somebody will destroy the universe either figuring out how or because they simply can. the only problem is that they won't be able to make excuses for their "accident" or "miscomunication" because to current knowledge, we'll all be dead! (That may not actually be the case but no one can tell us other wise so I'll run with it for now.) Although I have not read this delightful sounding book(that's a hint to hurry up)If you were looking into the light cone with that four demintional graph, it would appear like a circle. But why do we see 2 figurative circles, the sun and the one we are engulfed in creating light on earth. My only explanation would be that time and light have to be labled on 2 seperate axis, therefor having a 5 D world. this would be easier to describe with a picture but I couldn't find any on the internet.
ReplyDeleteFor anyone who may be interested in knowing, I believe that the meaning of life is relative to who you are. Everyone has goals in their life that could be considered their meaning. There is no absolute life meaning that all people encompass. In other words, the meaning of life is whatever you want it to mean. For some, the meaning of life is to rule the universe. Others may have more realistic pursuits in their life. Some think life has no meaning, which is either a completely incorrect statement, or this person has no life goals.
ReplyDeleteAs for 5D worlds, light is not something you can graph on an axis, for it belongs in the 4D world, which is made up of four different axis, none of them being light. Light is made up of particles, which makes it not a property of the spacetime universe, (such as length, width, height, or time) but a substance within it. Therefore your 5D world does not make any sense at all, for light is not its own axis.
Dan I mearly stated that life is pointless not that it has no meaning.(I could get religious about this but that could be offensive)And this is not my scientific therory. If you want my Scientific therory I will Give it to You
ReplyDeleteHave a Nice Day:)
the 5D universe is the only way inwich I could explainthe fact that we can see the sun. according to the space time diagram, If the suns light had not reached us yet we would see a circle. Yet the suns rays have already reached the earth and being that they are continuus, we are engulfed in constant light(if the earth didn't rotate it would be more clear). the only problem is that we seeboth a circle and constant light. Therefore I hypothise that enstead of light having it's own axis, Time must have multiple axis. We can see light both before and after or durring the time in which it hits us. If that makes any sense, to go along with the multiple misspel;lings. If not I'll see you tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteNo, Shannon. I agree with Dan. Light isn't a dimension; it's an energy and a substance specific to this world. Also, I'm intrigued- how can time have multiple axises?
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