2) On Time, Space and Spacetime
The discussions in this page and the next 2 pages are very general and basic. It really should not be the integral substance of this theory of cosmology, it is useful only to clear up a path that will lead to the main theory. Today civilization has come to a time, which we call "Space Age". Suddenly for the first time in the long history, scientific reality is taken out of our little planet into the infinitely larger cosmos. We are actually physically traveling, seeing, touching and working out of our accustomed world! Although we now know for certain that the solar planets are not gods any more, and even as we are planning to visit some of those cosmic objects and possibly soon to live in them, there are still other lingering misconceptions left from the past, which should be cleanly discarded. The modern space projects are extremely costly and dangerous, but it's only the very beginning of an infinite journey that can no longer be left to fantastic speculations or impressionism. At this junction of time and space, some of the traditional beliefs are due for complete revisions, reexaminations and given a clean bill of health It is important for science to flip over a new page and begin a new chapter without misapprehensions. Even if it has to be unpleasant to some, it can only be good for science and for those young students who want to embark on science and profession of the space age. [Please note: The huge majority of today's Internet visitors are students. Many of them are very young and extremely talented. I am hoping to present my theory of cosmology right from the beginning with nothing but logics and rationality in order to maximize understandability. I will then leave it in the Internet to reflect opinions and criticism, from which I hope to improve the theory until it may finally be presented in a book form...]
Science is the accumulated knowledge that enables the human kind to continue understanding the nature, so that we may learn to live with it and use its resources. But only when the knowledge can be described in understandable terms or in common logics will it be fully acknowledged and truly valuable. Thus before the knowledge is allowed to enter the receiver's brain, the giver must make sure it is digestible in the receiver's system. The purpose is to impart and not to impress. There is no knowledge so complicated that it cannot be explained in common logics. The prominent physicist Ernest Rutherford once said "if you can't explain a result in simple, non-technical terms, then you really do not understand it". Richard Feynman also wrote "... you can recognize the truth by its beauty and simplicity... When you get it right, it is obvious that it is right!...". When it is right, it is called exact science. Exact science is not relative to view points, it is a knowledge that has a nature of invariance and absoluteness in it, regardless of changing ages and perspectives. It is also common knowledge!
Yet, during the start of the 20th century, both science, especially cosmology, and arts had fallen into two highly distinctive schools, the school of realism or actuality and the school of impressionism or abstracts. The twin birth of impressionistic arts and impressionistic science occurred more or less in the same decades, and went on to great heights and influences. At the time, probably people thought that it would be impossible to understand the whole universe within ones lifetime anyway, so why not add some impressionistic stuffs for refreshments or excitements. Indeed, traditional realism could be boring and so impressionism got started, and boomed! Quickly some scientists became world famous and were even elevated to the rank of genius. The whole world adored because they came up with something out of this world. Only no one expected that Space Age was just around the corner. Suddenly it's already the age of cosmological explorations. Impressionistic arts are just fine, if you like it! But in this 21st century of Space Age, cosmology cannot afford to kid about. So, science is forced to return back to the bored strict and factual reality, because space projects are expensive and dangerous, and each space project must begin with earnest aims, which must be true and exact. Science is after all still science! It didn't matter in the 20th century because no one expected that lives of astronauts and space tourists depend on it. So we are now facing the scenario that sooner or later impressionistic cosmology must disappear into the Black Hole, which some people had invented. Recently it was reported that Steven Hawking who supposedly supported Black Hole theory for decades, had declared that Black Hole doesn't exists!
It was for the above described reasons that about a hundred years ago the topics of time dilation and space shrinkage were born, which then went on to procreate 4th dimension space, spacetime Continum, Black Hole Singularity, Big Bang, etc., etc., indeed a whole series of interrelated impressionistic theories, which had kept many scientists busy searching for more over a whole century. Although today the trends seem to be on the decline, they remain fascinating, powerful and continue to be admired, while the inventors came even close to be worshipped. Impressionistic science often works like a labyrinth, once you find yourself in it, it would not be easy to find your way back. To this day, enough people are still trapped. That's why, the following discussions are necessary, because it is about time to get out of the labyrinth. And the only way to get out of a cosmological labyrinth is to understand the universe in simple and understandable terms. The very moment you are able to see through the maze and know where the simple and obvious routes are, you have already found the broad way. So let us see what Time and Space are:-
From where I perceive Time, it doesn't even exist! At least it did not exist until humans invented it. Therefore time or system of timing is none other than a convenience, an accounting system representing the passage of nature's events. Behind the events there is no independent existence of time, just events. Time in itself has no physical existence, nor physical energy. It is just a unit of measurement invented by men. As events continue to unfold before our eyes, automatically our brain remembers the sequence of events. But that's not enough, our brain needs to identify those events by their orders and sequences. In the long run we get so use to it that it becomes a second nature. So we misconceive that Time exists, in fact, all that exists are just series of events, physical changes. Events are chained with beginnings and ends, but beginnings and ends are also apparent perceptions. In reality changes are continuous. Ten thousand years ago the human ancestors did not have clocks, and they didn't need them to live their days. Clocks are invented to denote a series of changes or a passing reality in nature. Therefore, clocks or timing devices may or may not be needed as long as you can describe the reality! One can use sun dials, water clocks, Stone Hinge, or the best atom clocks money can buy, or one can device time zones, calendars to account for time, but they don't make any difference to time, nor to the changing realities that time represents. So you can use 100 atoms clocks to fly in 100 planes, or space crafts to see if they dilate with increasing speed. Even some clocks will slow down, but you still have not dilated time! What happens is clocks are clocks, they are not time! Even if you can simultaneously slow down all events or passing realities, or hold up the entire universe, you still cannot dilate time! Why? Because time is abstract and totally independent of events. In other words, it doesn't exist!
Yet, about a century ago Minkowski came up with the theory that time may be regarded as a physical existence to be attached to the real physical space, therefore forming inseparable a 4th physical dimension. Such inseparable union was then echoed and upgraded by Einstein to become the "Spacetime Continuum". Now for sake of reference, let's give it a few short lines:-
1) Minkowski, and later Einstein, used an imaginary mathematical number to represent this 4th dimension, i.e.√(-1).ct., so the four dimensions become [X1, X2, X3,√(-1).ct] , where an imaginary substitute is fitted in as 4th mathematical coordinate. This happened in the early days of last century. It somehow coincided with the rise of fame and popularity for impressionistic artists, such as Monet, Renoir, Cézanne, Gauguin, van Gogh, Picasso, etc.. It was an age when traditional ideology and moral norm are becoming obviously boring. Anything impressionistic became highly refreshing and exciting. These impressionistic art of cosmological science caught on the timely fashion, and some of these impressionistic scientists became world celebrities.
2) Since Time is the 4th physical dimension, it is permanently attached to the other 3 dimensional physical space. This means that every real physical existence, e.g. a particle, a wave, an atom, a cosmic planet, or any 3-dimensional object, etc., has its own independent and additional physical 4th dimension, as compared with the traditional 3-dimensions. So you would have lots of different physical 4th dimension attached to each particle or each atom. People are walking around with lots of extra physical dimensions attached inside and outside their bodies. Why? Because the 4th dimension is a physical thing! Since it is the case, then it must take up or occupy some extra real space, as zero space would render it back to 3 dimensional space again! Soon the idea spread like a bonfire from universities to universities to be admired by countless scientists.
3) Then, the time dilation was proven experimentally by using 2 atomic clocks, one remained on earth and the other carried by a high speed airplane. It was found that the high speed clock ran slower. The theory was based on Einstein's Special Relativity, using Equation of Lorentz Transformation. It predicts mathematically that time is dilated by a factor of 1/Ö(1-V²/C²), called the Lorentz Factor. After the confirmation by this famous "clock in flight" experiment Einstein became immortal. Nobody had noticed or bothered to notice that during this famous experiment the whole universe remained the same. Only the clocks ran differently. Besides, in the relevant equation C² stands for the speed of light, which is obtained by Calculus, and V² stands for linear velocity, which is calculated with linear equation. No one had yet mixed two mathematical disciplines into one same equation until Einstein's Relativity. In fact, Einstein's Energy-Mass equation, i.e. E=MC², which reaaly should read E = MC² x 1/Ö(1-V²/C²), is still often regarded as the genius equation
What then is Space? Let's go back to the first principle. Space, unlike Time, does describe something real and physical, but due to historical interpretations, there are also differences in actually what it represents. The term Space implies three aspects of meanings...
A) As a specific measurement:- To denote 3 real dimensional measurements of a physical object, or a physical matter containing energies (substances are made of atoms, and atoms are made of mass and energy), or a volumetric measure of just energy quanta or particles. Even a vacuum space contains energy of negative nature. In this aspect, Space is used to represent a volumetric or a corporal displacement of physical objects or energy. Because it is a part of the real world as it can be touched, seen or measured, it comes automatically with 3 complete dimensions. Of course, corporal displacements depend entirely on what objects and energies they belong to, and in case of objects, what physical state the object is in, i.e. solid, liquid or gas. Then different objects in different states also depend on what external conditions they are subjected to, e.g. pressure, acceleration, speed or temperature, etc.. Without specific descriptions and conditions it may not be sufficient to predict the outcomes of any corresponding physical interactions.
B) Empty Space :- Empty Space does not exist. The term "Empty Space" is a typical historical misconception. Historically poets, philosophers and even scientists have referred to a space with apparently nothing in it as "empty", but that emptiness is only apparent. In reality, there is no empty space, just as there is no "Zero", because there is no absolute "Nothingness" in the universe. The cosmic space is not empty at all, though it may appear to be empty! The cosmic space is full of transmissible energy in waves, which contain invisible particles, or weightless particles, like photons, gravitons, neutrinos and of course many other types of particles, some of which are yet to be discovered. These waves are physical waves, otherwise they cannot transmit anything. As long as there are galaxies, which spiral mass-energy and convert them into transmissible energy waves, those waves will penetrate everywhere. If there were empty space in the cosmos, then no information, nor light, nor energy, nor any other communications can get through to us. The fact that we see lights of galaxies from the remote end of the observable universe is because light waves are chained in continuous propagation, not even one single wave can be missing. Presently the radius of the observable universe is 13/14 billion light years away, all that distance is filled with propagating electromagnetic or light waves. Therefore, in exact science, neither the abstract space, nor empty space can be used to predict mathematically a real physical outcome.... Simply said, in calculating or measuring an real object or energy, all relevant specifications and conditions are required....
C) As a general reference :- A general reference is an abstract representation without describing anything specific, and therefore like Time, it becomes an abstract concept only. In this aspect, the expression Space does not need exact specifications or external conditions because it is not meant to expect an exact outcome. For instance you may say ".. Time flies but Space stays put ...". In this instance both Time and Space are merely abstract or just philosophical references. The use of Space in science, just like Time, needs to be examined for it is often taken as if there is an independent Space that exists all by itself.... Unfortunately, for millenniums scientists and philosophers have different interpretations and ideas about Space. Except for some scientists, many people still conceive that Space, when used alone, is simply a place or a realm without anything specifically in it. Or, when there are things in it, then those things are merely occupying the space for a time being. In fact, all spaces are physical properties of something real. The misinterpretation is caused by mental suggestion passed down from historical habits. Even less than a century ago there had been different opinions and belief that the cosmic space is filled with a transmission media called ether or æther. However, it is perfectly acceptable to use Space as a general or philosophical reference, as long as you don't start to measure or calculate it. But in exact science or mathematic applications, a general reference (or a philosophical term) without corresponding specifications cannot predict a physical outcome. So again simply said, since space is always the property of something real, then in application it should include relevant specifications and in some cases, also external conditions because they affect physical space....
The above passages relate something very basic and simple about Time and Space, but it also relates that for about a whole century the beauty and simplicity of these natural phenomena had been turned into an art of impressionism. It had begun innocently with the 4th Dimensional Time, which then led to Spacetime Continuum, to Space Curvature, to Tine Dilation, to Relativistic Time and Space, to Ripples of Spacetime, to Special Relativity, to General Relativity, to Big Bang Universe, to Big Bang Singularity, to Big Bang Inflation, to Baby Universe, to Black Holes, to Black Hole Singularity and so on and so forth... After thousands of years of believing how wonderful and beautiful our universe has always been, people are suddenly brought to the horrible scenario of a big violent bang, as well as the prospect that everything could go down into a bottomless dark hole. Ever since that start countless hours of quality time had been spent in discussing, admiring and praising those theories. Precious efforts and money had been channeled to the research even experiments of those theories... Then, suddenly in 1953 a Satellite called Spunik started beeping sounds in the space around our planet earth, and almost a blink of eye later, we witnessed that a flag carried by humans was flying high on the surface of moon. Yet, in the meantime, all things in the universe and all lives on earth are still regenerating just as before, and our universe remains just as regular and beautiful as ever. .
(Note: I may be mistaking or unfair in any of my observations and deductions in any of these web pages. If I am, I shall be thankful should someone care to drop me an e-mail. The address is in the "Contact Us" page.)