Reality Definition and 494 Threads

So I've been reading a lot about Bell tests. I have a question that I can't seem to find an answer to. The tests indicate that a photon decides to be horizontally or vertically polarized at the moment of detection. What are they basing this on? To make such a counter-intuitive assumption seems...

Someone suggested to me that this stuff may be more appropriate in the QM section (I’m not sure?). I think others on here have brought this up before but I thought I’d post some stuff I’ve come across that may be useful to some as a kind of an introductory reading on the ontology of...

What is the definition and implications of 4D space? By implications I mean if it existed how will it redefine what we know about physics and reality up to now. (Applications, possibilities, etc)

Hello everyone! I got into a debate with a friend about a month back and this question has been racing through my head ever since. Does Math necessarily reflect what's real? He asserted that Math can give you results far-off from what's real. He illustrated his claim like this: Suppose you...

Equations or reality... Hello all, I am new to physics forum and very stupidly I don't have a background or formal education in science. I have one simple question: Time dilation, length contraction, curvature of space-time, are they all mathematically deducable through equations or can...

Is Lorentz factor reality true according to the laws of physics?? Hi According to the laws of physics, the speed of light is independent of the speed of its source. In the example whereby there are two observers; one in the train moving at high velocity u relative to the other observer on...

Hi there, I'm thinking of an experimental set-up that incorporates cameras behind a double-slit screen. The cameras will take a picture if a particle goes through the applicable slit. For me to know which slit it goes through, I need to check the camera to see if its taken a picture. For...

Hello, I'm a physics BS and I'm considering pursuing a graduate degree. Ideally I'd like to pursue a PhD in physics, and I'd like a reality check on my chances of admission. What's really putting a damper on things is my mediocre GPA - 2.81 . I'm well aware that this hurts me lots on graduate...

This is not a question - more a topic of discussion; as I am not expecting definitive answers. At the center of black holes we stipulate singularities, now I understand that mathematically a singularity does not make sense; infinite density and zero spatial volume being irreconcilable and an...

While the Socrates we know is a paragon and martyr, his biography may not be real. I suspect Plato created a master philosopher for two reasons: 1. To give more weight to himself. Being a student of a heroic certainly boosted his reputation. 2. To give more weight to his ideas. By using...

I wasn't quite sure whether to put this here or is skepticism and debunking. Anyway here goes. I was reading the other day about this different way of sleeping that allows one to sleep just two hours a day. It is called the Uberman sleep schedule. Basically, one sleeps every 3-4 hours for 20-30...

I'm really puzzled at our perception of fundamental physical reality… I’ve got it right or all wrong? (I am no scientist, just a curious person, so please bear with me.) Some constants first: - Planck time (PT): 5.4×10−44 s - Planck length (PL): 1.6×10^-35 m - Electron radius (EL)...

What does the future of virtual reality look like? There are a lot of hype out there for its future. What do you guys think? You may also share any articles, videos, etc..

Hello All, I'm not really sure if this is the spot where I should post this, but I'll give it a shot. For the last 2 yrs. I've been working on improving the current generation of Augmented Reality glasses (transparent display or "see-through" display glasses). The main reason you only see...

Some stunning examples of a technology that (I think) will really change how we live our lives in the future. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/click_online/9522194.stm If you have an iphone you can get the free app, print the markers and see for yourself!

Simple thought experiment I read and would like to hear what others think will the result will be: Let two spaceships A and B accelerate along a straight line. Observer C does not accelerate. The accelerations, as judged by C, are constant for both ships. Each ship is equipped with a...

I listening to Brian Greene's book! i.e. the audio book. There is something that is mentioned many times, but I don't recognise the word / language, so forgive me if the spelling is very wrong(!). Basically, when explaining the variations on the CMBR, he refers to something like an "implonton"...

Please forgive my lay understanding of String Theory, but when contemplating it, I am drawn to two questions; one at a level 'above' string theory and the other 'deeper'. I will begin with the former. As is my limited understanding, strings, according to restrictions placed upon them by the...

I mean to say whose popular sci-books do you like more Stephen Hawking's or Roger Penrose 's ? I like Penrose as he doesn't shy from using mathematics. So he is likely to present a better picture to the general public. And that may even ignite their interest in mathematics. Also he...

Hi, Reading about quantum mechanics, the probability wave is so that a particle can be everywhere. But when observed, it's probability wave collapses and the particle has to take a definite state. The example were given for Schrödinger's cat, which is either alive or dead only after we...

Just trying to explore the ontological possibilities that Quantum Mechanics have created, I would like to make a list that covers the variety of ways of thinking about reality, using this question as a starting point: QUESTION: What is there when we do not observe? 1.- We don't know...

I wish to discuss how does one rationally go about understanding the world we live in. There is the scientific approach of empiric data and evidence etc. There are philosophers who come up with many different ideas based on their rational thinking and there's religion that claims so many...

Okay, so it seems like some people do this, I thought I was the only one. Do you have an alternate reality or other life that you think about? I know some people may see this a stupid, but let's face it, we've all come to a fork in the road in life and sometimes we wish we had taken a...

in the experimental side of QM, I know i can use a slit to measure the q. but what about p or E? and how to conciliate the measure with the theory?: after the measurement of a slit i'll measure q and the system will collapse in a autovector of q, like |q> but it will evolve like a...

First of all. We must not have any a priori or preconceived notions of what is reality but instead follow the evidence of what is the true structure (if there is) of reality. The Dirac Equation is one way to start. It predicts spins of particles and antimatter. How come the mathematics of it...

I couldn't determine exactly what section this should fit into, considering that it does cover philosophy and most likely violate the QM section I figured it's best here. If the Mods feel otherwise please let me know. I realize putting this thought to paper is like pinning a cloud to the...

I'm working on augmented reality engine and I have a following problem. I'm tracking a 2D rectangle tracking picture inside an other picture (webcam stream). I have detected all four 2D corner coordinates for that tracking picture. Now I need to calculate from the corner coordiantes how the...

How real is reality?! Given what we know about quantum physics and the result of 2-slit experiments, is reality really how we view it?

I was thinking about the pressure build up in a system that is squeezed equally from all sides (or at least in two dimensions, like squeezing a tube of toothpaste), and I ran into a conundrum. If the pressure increases as the area decreases, then the pressure inside a circle that's squeezed...

My curiosity is in need of a comprehensive list of reading material on reality, consciousness; "stuff that matters". Thanks in advance.

We know that the laws of physics are unique to our universe, that is they only hold true in our spacetime. My question is about logic and if logic holds true outside our universe unlike the laws of physics. For example, if we say that x>y and z>x then we can conclude that z>y is true by logic...

What evidences support or contredict Vygotsky's philosophy of mind? I'm interested specifically in the experimental evidences supporting or contradicting: 1-that self-awareness in human is the result of language 2-that any "higher mental abilities" is the result of language and cultural...

When will quantum computers become useful? For example, cracking some real-world encryption, simulating quantum behaviour of molecules, or enhancing web search engines? I somehow have the impression that this is a field of physics where theorists keep dreaming and experimentalists keep playing...

In reading up on this, would the real world (the one that houses the machines for the simulation) require even more computing power/resources if the simulation its running has another completley seamless simulation running in it? So the idea that every simulated reality could be just one in...

Sometime ago I read about a cognitive bias by which people tend to think that reality is what they see/read in the news. I don't remember the name of this bias and was wondering if anyone could help find it or a similar one. Thanks.

Everyone has heard that a butterfly flapping it's wings in one place may ultimately cause a tornado to form in another place. I really have a problem with this. It has also been said that if all the molecules in a cup of coffee were to move the same direction at the same time that the coffee...

Is perception reality? Does what I see have an effect on what actually is? Do I really matter? Or am I just a juicy little bug crawling across the highway of time, inevitably making my way toward the paths which the car tires of death do travel? Will the tires remember the unique quality of...

Does anyone know where I can download this article, or perhaps if someone has this article they could please attach it to their reply? http://www.osti.gov/energycitations/product.biblio.jsp?osti_id=6914572

"if Quantum Mechanics (QM) is complete (and there are no "hidden variables"), then there cannot be simultaneous reality to non-commuting operators" - Taken from http://drchinese.com/David/Bell_Theorem_Negative_Probabilities.htm I am trying to understand this sentence but I do not fully...

I would like to start a brain storming thread, listing all the possible complications that would arise from NOT having SR. SR is what makes our reality what it is, so I expect that without SR, some serious complications would arise. Surely SR, is not just some insignificant nuance of reality...

This might sound stupid but, does consciousness = reality? I don't know if that makes sense or not, but I guess what I'm trying to ask is, actually, I don't really know what I'm trying to ask... these type of thoughts are all new to me

New FQXI essay contest "Is Reality Digital or Analog?" It's been a long wait but it's here at last http://www.fqxi.org/community/essay (It was actually launched 4 days ago - they seem to keep it pretty quiet)

Is "Infinity" only a mathematical concept or is there anything infinite in reality? I mean ∞ is indeterminate in a way such that any of the following expressions can be constructed: ∞ - ∞ = 1, ∞ - ∞ = 0 ∞ - ∞ = ∞ Is there anything in reality that can actually behave like that?

I heard about this a few days ago and wanted to know how it works and what are the benefits? I have tried a demo where you hold up a photograph in front of your webcam and something happens... and also is AR in practical-use nowadays??

Greetings, Before I begin, I'd like to mention that I am in a High School level physics course (AP Physics B 32S), so my level of knowledge is quite low. This is not for coursework, but for discussion. In an informal discussion with my instructor outside of class, we were talking about...

I’ve got few simple questions (and views) about which I’m pondering on for some time now and since I’m layman on these topics I’d love to hear thoughts and insights about them from some of the great contributors at this forum. Thank you! -- Is gravity in center of star highest, lowest or...

I've been developing a hypothesis about how the physical reality must be like and work. The physical reality would be composed by a homogeneous existence that is made up by itself, that solely exists. This is how I defined space. The space has a finite and perfectly spherical shape that...

Hi all. Sorry if I am posting in a wrong section as I am new there and di not figure it out where my post belongs to. I would like to ask about energy weapons in fiction and reality. We have movies, video games, novels where lots of weapons (of different designs) are used. As far as I...

I, as with Albert Einstein, shall always side with Issac Newton; that is to say, that light is corpuscular. There is no such thing as a light 'wave'. Sure, Thomas Young threw the world of physics a curveball in 1802, backed by Huygens and his somewhat sound reasoning (for the time). But who...

Seething expanding geometry--new LQG view of reality A view of reality emerging from current LQG research (like 1004.1780) is somewhat analogous to the "seething vacuum" of quantum field theory. But it is a "seething geometry" in which bits of area and volume constantly come into existence and...