Gerald Schroeder's Claim: Exploring the Possibilities

  • Thread starter mitcho
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In summary, Gerald Schroeder claims that the universe could be a closed "super heavy" space if our understanding of quantum mechanics is applied. He cites the Uncertainty Principle as a reason for potential fluctuations in spacetime, leading to the creation of 'baby universes' through inflation. However, there is still uncertainty surrounding this theory until a proper understanding of quantum gravity is developed.
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mitcho
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Watching a video of Gerald Schroeder, I was fascinated by his claim that if the universe were created as a result of our current understanding of quantum mechanics, the universe would be a closed "super heavy" space. The link below goes directly to the point in the video where he says it and it goes until about 7:15. Would I be able to get some learned opinions on this?
Thanks

www.youtube.com/watch?v=yV-LzTO-xdg#t=06m19s
 
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Mitcho,

If by 'data', you mean records of universe popping out of our spacetime, then no, there isn't. But there are pretty strong theoretical reasons to believe it can happen. The idea goes like this:

The Uncertainty Principle allows for fields to fluctuate (keep in mind, however, it's your observations that are actually fluctuating - the field doesn't ever have an actual value, instead, it has an egienstate, but taking different observations on it yields different classical values.) between different classical values. For example, an empty vacuum will have a temperature given by [tex]T_{dS}=\frac{H}{2 \pi} \sim 10^{-33} eV[/tex]If we treat curved spacetime as a gravitational field, the UP should predict fluctuations in spacetime. This should create 'false vacuums', unstable states that are not at a desirable energy level. They would be connected to the background spacetime via a wormhole. However, they should rapidly collapse. But, Guth and Fahri showed that if the inflaton field (the field that drives inflation) managed, via quantum tunneling, to reach a false vacuum, then inflation could occur in this 'baby universe', allowing it to grow to an enormous size. Since wormholes are incredibly unstable, it would quickly collapse, allowing the baby universe to become its own spacetime.

In the past, it seemed that there was very good reason that this could happen. But, I haven't heard too much about it recently, and Sean Carroll ( A cosmologist whose model relies on this 'baby universe' production) expressed his feelings that he is less certain it can actually happen. We really won't know until a proper theory of quantum gravity is fully developed. Trying to apply quantum mechanics by itself to cosmology may be like trying to apply general relativity to particle physics.

The original paper by Guth and Fahri isn't available on the internet, but here are two I managed to find:

The Universe out of a Monopole in a Laboratory?
http://arxiv.org/pdf/gr-qc/0602084v3.pdf

How to Create a Universe
http://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/3196/1/Spec.pdf
 

FAQ: Gerald Schroeder's Claim: Exploring the Possibilities

What is Gerald Schroeder's claim?

Gerald Schroeder's claim is that the six days of creation described in the Bible's Book of Genesis can be reconciled with the scientific theory of the Big Bang.

How does Schroeder support his claim?

Schroeder uses scientific evidence, including the theory of relativity, to show that time is relative and that the six days of creation could have been billions of years in Earth's time. He also points to the fact that the Bible does not specify the length of a "day" in the creation story.

Is Schroeder's claim accepted by the scientific community?

Schroeder's claim is not widely accepted by the scientific community, as it relies heavily on interpretation and speculation rather than empirical evidence. However, some scientists have praised Schroeder for attempting to bridge the gap between science and religion.

How does Schroeder's claim affect the debate between religion and science?

Schroeder's claim has sparked ongoing discussions and debates between religious and scientific communities about the compatibility of their beliefs. It has also prompted individuals to explore the idea of a higher power or intelligent designer in the creation of the universe.

What are some criticisms of Schroeder's claim?

Some criticisms of Schroeder's claim include the lack of scientific evidence to support it, the subjective nature of interpreting religious texts, and the dismissal of other scientific theories such as evolution. Additionally, many argue that trying to reconcile religion and science can be problematic as they are fundamentally different ways of understanding the world.

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