Brief History of Physics. Simple Solutions WSM

[haselhurst]

A Brief History of Physics (Reality) and a Simple Solution to their Problems.

"My purpose therefore is, to try if I can discover what those principles are, which have introduced all that doubtfulness and uncertainty, those absurdities and contradictions into the several sects of philosophy; insomuch that the wisest men have thought our ignorance incurable, conceiving it to arise from the natural dullness and limitation of our faculties." (George Berkeley, 1710)

"The development during the present century is characterized by two theoretical systems essentially independent of each other: the theory of relativity and the quantum theory. The two systems do not directly contradict each other; but they seem little adapted to fusion into one unified theory. For the time being we have to admit that we do not possess any general theoretical basis for physics which can be regarded as its logical foundation." (Albert Einstein, 1940)

Physics classically evolved from Newton's Mechanics (1687), which was founded on 'mass' particles and instantly acting gravitational forces in Absolute Space and Time (i.e. F=m.a, though Newton acknowledged that he did not know how these discrete and separate particles could act on one another across Space - it was just mathematical formalism).

Then in the early 19th century Faraday added the concept of charged particles generating continuous electric and magnetic fields which acted on other charged particles in Space around them. When Maxwell showed (Maxwell's Equations) that an Electromagnetic Wave propagated with the measured velocity of light it seemed to confirm this electromagnetic (em) structure of Light and Matter, and that matter interactions where not instant-actions-at-a-distance, but limited by the velocity of light. This was then further formalised with Lorentz's em Theory of the Electron.

However, at the turn of the 20th century, Plank's discovery of the discrete 'quantum' properties of light, followed by Einstein's work on the photoelectric effect (1905) shattered this continuous wave nature of light (light seemed to also behave as a discrete 'particle / photon').

With de Broglie's further conception of the wave properties of matter this meant that by the 1930s there was a particle wave duality for both light and matter (depending on the experiment)!
This became even more confusing with Born's discovery that the square of Schrodinger's Wave Equations (using standing waves / resonance to explain discrete energy states of light and matter) could be used to find the probability of where the 'particle' would be found. Add to this Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle, and Bohr's Copenhagen Interpretation (Nature is statistical rather than deterministic, particle and wave complement one another) then you can see how confusing Physics had become.

Albert Einstein tried to solve this mess by rejecting the 'particle' concept of matter and representing Matter as continuous spherical fields in Space-Time. He writes;

"Physical objects are not in space, but these objects are spatially extended (as fields). In this way the concept 'empty space' loses its meaning. ... The field thus becomes an irreducible element of physical description, irreducible in the same sense as the concept of matter (particles) in the theory of Newton. ... The physical reality of space is represented by a field whose components are continuous functions of four independent variables - the co-ordinates of space and time. Since the theory of general relatively implies the representation of physical reality by a continuous field, the concept of particles or material points cannot play a fundamental part, nor can the concept of motion. The particle can only appear as a limited region in space in which the field strength or the energy density are particularly high." (Albert Einstein, Metaphysics of Relativity, 1950)

"When forced to summarize the general theory of relativity in one sentence: Time and space and gravitation have no separate existence from matter." (Albert Einstein)

http://www.spaceandmotion.com/Physics-Albert-Einstein-Theory-Relativity.htm

He attempted a pure field theory of matter because he understood Metaphysics, thus he agreed that there must be some kind of unity to reality to explain how matter is interconnected across the universe. As Aristotle, Leibniz and Bradley wrote;

"The first philosophy (Metaphysics) is universal and is exclusively concerned with primary substance. ... And here we will have the science to study that which is just as that which is, both in its essence and in the properties which, just as a thing that is, it has.
The entire preoccupation of the physicist is with things that contain within themselves a principle of movement and rest. And to seek for this is to seek for the second kind of principle, that from which comes the beginning of the change. ... That among entities there must be some cause which moves and combines things. ... There must then be a principle of such a kind that its substance is activity" (Aristotle, Metaphysics, 340BC)

"Reality cannot be found except in One single source, because of the interconnection of all things with one another. ... I maintain also that substances, whether material or immaterial, cannot be conceived in their bare essence without any activity, activity being of the essence of substance in general." (Gottfried Leibniz, 1670)

"We may agree, perhaps, to understand by Metaphysics an attempt to know reality as against mere appearance, or the study of first principles or ultimate truths, or again the effort to comprehend the universe, not simply piecemeal or by fragments, but somehow as a whole." (Bradley, 1846-1924)

http://www.spaceandmotion.com/metaphysics.htm

However, Einstein failed in his attempts at a unified continuous field theory of matter, never able to explain the discrete properties of light and matter found in Quantum theory. He wrote;

"All these fifty years of conscious brooding have brought me no nearer to the answer to the question, 'What are light quanta?' Nowadays every Tom, Dick and Harry thinks he knows it, but he is mistaken. … I consider it quite possible that physics cannot be based on the field concept, i.e., on continuous structures. In that case, nothing remains of my entire castle in the air, gravitation theory included, [and of] the rest of modern physics." (Albert Einstein, 1954)

This failure and confusion has left us with a Postmodern view of reality, that there are no absolute truths, and we can only have approximate theories (true knowledge of reality is a naive dream). As Feynman wrote;

"The more you see how strangely Nature behaves, the harder it is to make a model that explains how even the simplest phenomena actually work. So theoretical physics has given up on that." (Richard Feynman on Quantum Mechanics)

http://www.spaceandmotion.com/quantum-mechanics-richard-feynman-quotes.htm

Despite this pessimism, a few people have (over the past 20 years) shown that there is in fact a very simple sensible solution to these problems that (strangely) has been largely ignored over the past 70 years. To consider a pure Wave Structure of Matter in Space.
This Metaphysics of Space and the Wave Structure of Matter (WSM) solves these problems by describing Reality in terms of One thing, Space, existing with the Properties of a Wave Medium (which abides by the rules of Metaphysics, where matter's activity comes from the wave motion of Space).
Matter is formed from Spherical Standing Waves in Space which cause the 'particle' effect at their Wave Center.
Time is due to the Wave Motion (activity) of Space.
Forces / Fields are caused by the interaction of the Spherical In and Out Waves with other matter in Space which changes the location of the Wave-Center (and which we 'see' as a 'force accelerating a particle').

This then simplifies Einstein's foundation from continuous spherical fields in space-time, to spherical waves in continuous Space.
Most importantly, the Wave Structure of Matter deduces fundamentals of Einstein's Relativity (relativistic mass increase) and Quantum Theory (de Broglie wavelength) due to Doppler effects of relative motion (in the one set of simple wave equations). It also solving numerous problems in Cosmology by realising that the redshift with distance is due to decreasing wave interactions. i.e. It is not a Doppler effect, thus there is no expansion / Big Bang.

For more information on what is really a very simple and sensible description of physical reality search the Wave Structure of Matter.
See also;
http://www.spaceandmotion.com/ (Natural Philosopher Geoff Haselhurst on WSM)
http://www.quantummatter.com/ (Dr Milo Wolff, physicist, founder of WSM)

As Carver Mead wrote; (Professor emeritus at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), having taught there for over 40 years. Received the Lemelson-MIT Prize ($500,000) in 1999).

"It is my firm belief that the last seven decades of the twentieth century will be characterized in history as the dark ages of theoretical physics."

"The quantum world is a world of waves, not particles. So we have to think of electron waves and proton waves and so on. Matter is 'incoherent' when all its waves have a different wavelength, implying a different momentum. On the other hand, if you take a pure quantum system - the electrons in a superconducting magnet, or the atoms in a laser - they are all in phase with one another, and they demonstrate the wave nature of matter on a large scale. Then you can see quite visibly what matter is down at its heart." (Carver Mead Interview, American Spectator, Sep/Oct2001, Vol. 34 Issue 7, p68)

[Tim Bourke]

Hi,

Having started life interested in Theoretical Physics, then later diverging into other more spiritual and philosophical lines, I can see that WSM appeals in some ways because it seems to offer a unifying approach.

I've already posted some questions I have about the theoretical aspects of WSM itself and how it connects to other theories, however here I wonder about the more philosophical/metaphysical implications. Here is another series of questions:

How do you connect WSM with the appearance of conscious life in the universe?

What is the meaning of morality?

Is freedom real or an illusion (Einstein thought it was an illusion!)?

What is the relationship between my concept of an object (say a tree, an electron, etc.) and the object itself?

WSM talks about "communication" via the scalar waves. What is this communication? Does it imply a form of consciousness pervading the universe?

Is ultimate reality "simply" a wave structure in Space?

And so on! By the way, I don't expect absolute answers to all of these things, I'm more interested really in the way things are answered than in seeing the answer presented once and for all in a single equation or anything of that nature!

Thanks,
Tim Bourke

[haselhurst]

Hi Tim,
I think these are all great questions. And WSM explains / answers most of them.

What I would really like you to do (since you seem to have a sensible enquiring skeptical mind) is to search each of those subjects, you will find answers either on this forum or at spaceandmotion website.
Then please go back to above post and tell us how you think WSM answers them, and if you agree or see any problems / do not understand.

I believe human minds adjust slowly to new knowledge, so take your time and think about things, read them a few times.

I would really appreciate this, and I think in time you will too. And then hopefully you can help us to explain this knowledge better (concise / simple - better layout of subject pages so knowledge is easier to find).

Geoff