The Nature Of The Universe

(To see comments on recent posts, please click here for Vision, here for To Simply Be and here for Let's Pretend.)

In previous posts, I've mentioned Einstein's belief that our sense of separateness is "an optical delusion of consciousness" and the idea of unity, that all of us are essentially One. For the whole of this quotation from Einstein, please see this previous post. But what else do scientists have to say about all this? Does what we know of the natural world support the idea of Unity at all - or was Einstein just going off on a flight of fancy?

An interesting book to read in this respect is The Tao Of Physics by Fritjof Capra, first published in 1975, which draws parallels between modern science and Eastern religious & philosophical thought. In the words of one of the reviewers I've just come across on Amazon, Capra "demonstrates that both modern Western science and traditional Eastern spirituality share the same core truth: that the universe is one interconnected whole, a ceaseless flux of living energy of which we are all part". Does that sound familiar?

Many books making similar comparisons have followed, including The Self-Aware Universe by Amit Goswami and The Field by Lynne McTaggart. Such books tend to be treated with varying degrees of scepticism by scientists and it's very difficult for the lay reader to make an objective assessment of them. This is especially true if you're like me and too much quantum mechanics makes your head hurt. Where some of them fall short, perhaps, is in claiming that the science proves that the philosophical & spiritual ideas we're talking about are correct. What may be more accurate - yet surely still exciting - is that they hold out the tantalizing possibility that they may be right, that science and spirituality may indeed concur.

Certainly it is true to say that what we think of as solid matter is mainly empty space. The particles which comprise atoms are very tiny indeed, with a large proportion of empty space between them.  But even these particles are not solid matter as we experience it in everyday life. They appear to be more like waves and only assume a fixed position when someone tries to measure them. So are they waves or particles, a bit of both, or something else which we don't yet understand? These sub-atomic entities are the building blocks of our own bodies and the matter we see around us every day. So what is in dispute here is the very nature of the fabric of reality.

I've previously mentioned the web site spaceandmotion.com, a fascinating repository of quotations and information on science and philosophy, the (not so) hidden agenda of which is to promote The Wave Structure Of Matter, a theory which proposes that particles are not particles at all but standing waves, interacting with each other to produce the effect of a particle. This would mean that there is no matter at all in the way that we normally understand it. Everything That Is, including ourselves, are really a series of interacting waves.

The Theory of Loop Quantum Gravity takes things even further, proposing that the universe is merely information in a giant quantum computer, stored by a series of twists in space-time. This would mean that we and everything we see around us are all part of a vast network of space-time, and furthermore don't even really exist. Which might sound extremely surprising - except to Buddhists.

It is clear, then, that some very imaginative concepts are being proposed to explain the universe, and in this context the idea that we are all part of a continuous field of energy - as many people experience through meditation - does not seem at all ridiculous. This 'connectedness' seems to be further confirmed by 'non-local effects' or quantum entanglement, whereby 'particles' which are separated in space - sometimes by large distances - appear to influence each other.

The universe is a strange place - or perhaps it only appears to be strange because we don't understand it. And if the so-called solid matter we see around us is not only mainly empty space but not even matter at all, then perhaps we should be open to the possibility that the way we see the universe - and our place in it - is in need of substantial revision.

 

These may also be of interest:

What The Bleep Do We Know?

Unity Is Powerful

Comments

[Sunflower Optimism]

Thank you for the spaceandmotion web site.

Your comment "The universe is a strange place - or perhaps it only appears to be strange because we don't understand it " reminded me of when I was a child, taking a trip on the subway with my dad. I would ask him "What's the next stop Daddy?" - and he would tell me each time! I was amazed at how he could possible know what the next stop would be. Later as a teen I realized that after a few trips on the subway, one could easily memorize the stops. But this lesson has always remained with me - when something looks difficult or unknowable it may have an easy explanation - just not one that I may be aware of, yet.

Glad you liked Quasar9.

[Forgetful God]

This is a great article...really, I'd shake your hand if your body existed in my reality, but as it does not...I'll just have to pass on a friendly thought or two. Out of curiousity, have you stumbled across the movie "What the bleep do we know?" I think you'd genuinely enjoy it...quantum physics make my hurt too sometimes, but the movie itself does a very good job of breaking down the meaning of all this "string theory" and whatnot. Take a gander if you have the chance.

As always, thanks for the read

A Forgetful God

[carrie]

i've read the tao of physics. interesting ideas. i love this kind of stuff.

[AccidentalBlogR]

I enjoy your ideas Simon. I don't think we are too different at all. I'm just quiet about my deeper thoughts. *G*

[patty]

*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*
Its Click N Comment
Monday
Have a Blessed Day
*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*

[Sunflower Optimism]

Simon - just re-read your "About" section. I also have a degree in engineering (metallurgical/aerospace), but gave that up about 20 years ago in favor of motherhood and another career in the arts. Surprise, surprise - I also have a chronic illness, which is thankfully under control for now.

Small world, huh?

[new illuminati]

You might be interested in my sight that posits, among other things, a conscious hologrammic multiverse...
http://gonow.to/timespace
;}

[Kren]

I've always been pulled into these same ideas. The universe is always showing the same shapes, a bubble is round like planets, a galaxy swirls around like water in a drain. And planets and stars seem so far away from eachother, yet somehow we feel amazed when it turns out that atoms are about the same.
I also like the questioning of reality. Given all that we know about the universe, information could definately be all that we are. And if this is true, than how UNREAL are all of the things in our imaginations?

A wonderful post Simon.
Thanks

[Sandy]

This is a great post. I think all life is a dream, really. Thanks, also, for recommending some books that sound great.

[Simon]

Mega response post. Here goes...

Sunflower - I don't think it's possible to prove the existence of god but the nearest thing to a proof as far as I'm concerned is some of the things that people can do. Not only - wonder of wonders - memorising subway stops but stuff like playing solo violin and getting it right every time. Professionals do that. Think about it. Is that really possible without being able to tap into some power which we don't understand? Or do I just think that because I could never master the penny whistle?

Forgetful God - Thanks a lot for your comments on the post. I'm going to write about What The Bleep? next time...

Carrie - So *have* you read The Tao of Pooh too?

Accidental - Thanks for dropping by! Note : This woman writes a very entertaining blog. Everyone go and read it at once!

Thanks for your comment, Patty. I really appreciate your attempt to represent the Wave Theory of Matter using only the typepad keys. I was going to leave a comment on your blog but I didn't dare. I think there may be insurmountable ideological differences for the time being. I don't think John Kerry's *really* a communist but I hope you have a nice day too.

Sunflower - Hi again! The illness may not be a coincidence, you know. I wouldn't be doing this without it.

New illuminati - I took a look at your site and will pop back again when I have more time. It's kind of hard on the eyes though.

Thanks for your comments, Kren. Yes, the further down we get, the more it looks like up.

Thanks too to Sandy. Great to hear from you again. Enjoy the books!

[The Artist]

An interesting article.

[The Artist]

`As One' is the title of the last last blog on my site.

[Sunflower Optimism]

You know what I believe with all my heart Simon? That there are no coincidences.

[Sunflower Optimism]

My apologies, Simon, I keep posting! However, something interesting happened to me yesterday. In my yoga class meditations, the instructor frequently tells us to inhale positive energy, exhale the negative, think of something that we are looking for in our lives and release the negative baggage holding us back. - or words to that effect. Usually I think of wanting peace or health or something generic. Yesterday, I said "What the heck," and thought of something very specific that I wanted to have happen in my life - something that needed to happen before next Friday. Well, last night I got a phone call from a friend, granting me the very thing I needed to have happen! Very spooky.

Years ago I read a series of books by Julia Cameron (The Artist's Way, among others) - text and exercises specifically written for artists who want to increase their creativity. However I think her books would benefit anyone. She frequently discusses the concept of "synchronicity, or how the universe "cooperates" with us - no matter whether you call it energy or God or whatever. When I used to do the exercises faithfully the events of synchronicity used to happen to me much more frequently. I think the exercises increased my awareness, gave me a more open mind and a "leap and the net will appear" mentality. My experience yesterday reminded me how the net does appear. I need to get back to the exercises which mostly involve writing and walking. I have actually been thinking about getting back to it for the past several weeks and yesterday was another nudge in that direction - even though longhand writing and even walking are sometimes difficult for me now.

It's all so fascinating - yes, I do believe there is a bountiful source of "energy" out there that does respond to us.

[Mr Zip]

I've flirted with Julia Cameron's ideas in the past, but found I couldn't keep up the "morning pages" exercise which is central to her method. There seems to be an interesting idea at the root of what she proposes, but so far it's evaded me. Maybe I'll try again too.

[Simon]

No need to apologise for posting, Sunflower. I thrive on comments! I must admit I've never heard of Julia Cameron - will check her out, though looking at Mr Zip's comment I wonder if I would have time for her morning pages and blogging as well? (I assume the 'morning pages' are the writing you mention?)

[Simon]

Speaking of "The Artist's Way", I seem to get some talented artists visiting this blog. Do check out Mr Zip's site if you haven't already done so, and likewise that of 'The Artist' (aka Winsome Gunning), the first I've heard of whom was the brief comments she left above. The energy we've been discussing is there in her paintings.

[Sunflower Optimism]

Yes, morning pages, three pages, long hand, upon arising. Whatever is in your head. Some days it's a page and a half of "I don't know what to write." But most days, lots of interesting things come out. I wasn't very rigorous about doing them first thing in the morning, what with getting kids off to school and all - but the pages still "worked," no matter when I did it.

Now the kids are in college, but holding a pen and writing is difficult, due to my RA. I think I need to get back to it and do the best I can - I honestly believe it is a way to "tap" into the energy of the universe. The walks are also important, as The Artist can testify - but that is also difficult for me. We do the best we can!

[Kulwinder]

Good article and good writing skills. Any tips on how to write good articles for beginners?