- #71
Cuetek
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As CarlB suggests, the fact that Mortimer's theory suggests changes to GR may well be an attractive aspect. I think we are at a point in physics that is similar to the transition between the Ptolemaic view and the post-Copernican view. The Ptolemaic model was an exquisitely complicated system that, while remarkably functional, turned out not only to be more complicated than necessary but flawed exactly where it was most complicated. It was dramatically simplified by Copernican models explanations of retrograde aspects. I think the same thing will happen to string theory (and perhaps inflation, too) in the near future by the recognition of a more plausible broad-scale disposition of the material universe.
But what it won't be is a unified theory of everything. It will be a temporary consolidation and simplification that will continue to evolve into more complicated theories just like the Copernican model continued to evolve. Young Kmarinas' perspective kind of speaks to the point.
Presuming a fractal symmetry in the universe is, in my estimate, an area rich in potential for evolving the standard model because it suggests and ongoing hierarchy. But to presume that hierarchy to be identically repeating (ie, the quark can be identically found at both extra-visible-universe scales and sub-nuclear scales, etc, etc) is similar in many ways to a common failing found in most of our prior cosmologies.
Trying to limit the scalar diversity of the universe to what we humans can see of it at any given time is typically where our prior cosmologies were corrected by their succeeding cosmologies. The Copernican crystal sphere terminus was expanded by Milky Way island universe terminus, which was expanded by the contemporary "finite but unbounded" space/time model, which is less egregiously mitigated by an infinite presumption of the cosmological principle. All of these terminating criteria try to depict a universe that can be completely characterized (if not examined) using only the data at hand. With the exception of the most recent version of an infinitely homogeneous universe, they all failed in precisely the extent to which they strived to to limit the scalar diversity of the universe as it might evolve beyond our ability to examine at any given time. We should presume that the universe cannot be completely depicted from the perspective of something stuck inside it.
In kmarinas' fractal disposition above, I would suggest that the fractal symmetry he depicts as absolute and repeating represents this same type of effort to have the universe conform completely to the data at hand. The fractal behavior of the universe is more likely to be only locally transmitted up and down the scale before evolving into new symmetries across an ongoing, open-ended material hierarchy.
That is, if the enigmatic obits of electrons around the atomic nucleus is only loosely reflected by the very deterministic obits of the planets around stars, so too might the fractal symmetry kmarinas suggests as identically repeating be found evolve its symmetry across any scalar interval. (the black hole may be only vaguely "quark-like" at even greater mega-scales beyond.)
Change is permanent, evolution is inherent. But change is also symmetrical and continuous across all spectra. So while we will always be able to expand our knowledge, we will probably never be able to assert a final deposition and should formally recognize this prospect in our models. It might seem very depressing, but imagine how we'd feel if one day we found out we'd figured it all out and there was nothing left to discover. Now, that would be depressing.
-Mike
But what it won't be is a unified theory of everything. It will be a temporary consolidation and simplification that will continue to evolve into more complicated theories just like the Copernican model continued to evolve. Young Kmarinas' perspective kind of speaks to the point.
kmarinas86 said:
Presuming a fractal symmetry in the universe is, in my estimate, an area rich in potential for evolving the standard model because it suggests and ongoing hierarchy. But to presume that hierarchy to be identically repeating (ie, the quark can be identically found at both extra-visible-universe scales and sub-nuclear scales, etc, etc) is similar in many ways to a common failing found in most of our prior cosmologies.
Trying to limit the scalar diversity of the universe to what we humans can see of it at any given time is typically where our prior cosmologies were corrected by their succeeding cosmologies. The Copernican crystal sphere terminus was expanded by Milky Way island universe terminus, which was expanded by the contemporary "finite but unbounded" space/time model, which is less egregiously mitigated by an infinite presumption of the cosmological principle. All of these terminating criteria try to depict a universe that can be completely characterized (if not examined) using only the data at hand. With the exception of the most recent version of an infinitely homogeneous universe, they all failed in precisely the extent to which they strived to to limit the scalar diversity of the universe as it might evolve beyond our ability to examine at any given time. We should presume that the universe cannot be completely depicted from the perspective of something stuck inside it.
In kmarinas' fractal disposition above, I would suggest that the fractal symmetry he depicts as absolute and repeating represents this same type of effort to have the universe conform completely to the data at hand. The fractal behavior of the universe is more likely to be only locally transmitted up and down the scale before evolving into new symmetries across an ongoing, open-ended material hierarchy.
That is, if the enigmatic obits of electrons around the atomic nucleus is only loosely reflected by the very deterministic obits of the planets around stars, so too might the fractal symmetry kmarinas suggests as identically repeating be found evolve its symmetry across any scalar interval. (the black hole may be only vaguely "quark-like" at even greater mega-scales beyond.)
Change is permanent, evolution is inherent. But change is also symmetrical and continuous across all spectra. So while we will always be able to expand our knowledge, we will probably never be able to assert a final deposition and should formally recognize this prospect in our models. It might seem very depressing, but imagine how we'd feel if one day we found out we'd figured it all out and there was nothing left to discover. Now, that would be depressing.
-Mike