|
Unifying Theory
|
|
Physicists are trying to figure out an equation that will explain EVERYTHING in the universe. This equation is thought to be able to explain extra dimensions, time travel, black holes, the big bang, basically the meaning of the universe in general. This theory is the equivalent of "God" for physics. Im wondering if anyone believes that such an equation is possible. I believe that one could exist. But I am not exactly sure how or if it could be written down. We may never discover this equation but I am sure that it exists.
__________________________
 |
|
Re: Unifying Theory
Link |
by
on 2004-08-02 11:07:17 |
|
it has always been my belief that physics attempts to better explain the "how" of the universe, but can never explain the "why" as in why we are here. the why is more a spiritual question than a physical one. of course, super string theory is the most recent attempt to put everything we have observed into one nice little package and tie it all together (pun intended). i like string theory a lot, but it is likely to be just as incomplete to our next generation of thinkers as Newton's understanding of motion was to Einstein. 
|
|
Re: Unifying Theory
|
|
Our knowledge of how everything works is still in its infantcy, so I dont think we're even dug a meter into a subject that is thousands of Kilometers deep. Though the super string theory is a good way. Its validity is still in question. We are always searching for a way to explain existance, its the inquitize nature of humans. Who knows 1000 years from now, scientists could be laughing at our limited knowledge, like we do to ones from 1000 year ago.
Albert: "We only know what we and others have seen, and no one has ever seen a suicide brought back."
Chris Nielsen: "Stick around, chief. You ain't seen nothing yet." -What Dreams May Come |
|
Re: Unifying Theory
|
|
i actually read in a magazine that they think the string theory may be false... and they are trying to come up with a replacement.
__________________________
|
|
Re: Unifying Theory
Link |
by
on 2004-08-09 21:53:28 |
|
hmm, why does the physics section sound amazingly like a philosophy section? ^_^ For my on-topic comment--do you see the universe as being infinate or not? If the universe is infinite, do you think that there are random values? If you said yes to both of these, there stands a good chance that there is no universal theory of physics. What may happen is what has already happened in quantum physics: you can discover certain probabilities but never know for certain what is going to happen. For my off-topic comment--Meaning depends on what angle you look at it from. We have no clue if there is a "universal" meaning, however, we are very certain of a few of the local meaning. Take for example, a species will do all within its power to remain existant. However, this doesnt equate individual happiness or even success. For those of you who know evolutionary anthropology, a perfect example is the maddona-whore dyconomy and its effect on monigymy.
--theKiyote
"Everything you ever loved will be altered or destroyed" |
|
Re: Unifying Theory
|
|
Personally, I too believe that everything can be explained. The problem is that there is a SEEMINGLY infinite number of variables to take into effect, eg the butterfly effect. I believe that basically no computer (and certainly no human) could possibly do all the figuring necessary quickly enough to be of any use whatsoever. That is, even if you could get all the variables, many of which can be changed just by the methods of observatin. As far as the universe being infinite, the same thing would work for all of it. It would really only need to be applied to a certain range. Now, calculating for that full infinity would take an infinite amount of time, so can't be used to calculate all of infinity. Personally though, I believe that while the universe is technically infinite, the things that do exist are finite. Eventually there's a limit. That limit is so far off that it doesn't matter to us though. |
|
Re: Unifying Theory
Link |
by
on 2004-08-17 22:51:46 |
|
you say everything can be explained. i agree with that, however your explanation for all the rules that govern the universe, were it to be precise, would be rather lengthy and certainly beyond the grasp of a human mind. as compartmentalized sacks of water the best we can do is simplify the things down to one general theory: a "unified theory". however, the quantum phenomena has shown us that we in face CANNOT describe all material THINGS in a total way. if we know the position of one subatomic particle, we don't know its movement. if we know its movement we cannot tell where exactly it lies. no computer can be built to predict the position and velocity of subatomic particles. however, we can easily make estimations based on statistics, that is something computers are really good at!
|
|
Re: Unifying Theory
|
|
Well, I don't pretend to know why you can't know both at once. But, anyway, I do wonder if a computer couldn't in some far off future be capable of actually using one to know the other or estimate so accurately that it is correct in all things that truly matter. Anyway, like I was saying, I still believe that all things can be reduced to an equation, but, I KNOW humans could never fathom even a small peice of this equation. (Though I must point out that one shouldn't underestimate the sheer power of the biological processor, just look at voice and even visual recognition. Then again, something like this is the type of thing only a computer has hope of even so much as storing all the data on, much less processing.) I still think that even futures in such a far off future wouldn't be able to process the incredible number of variables involved though. I'm a firm believer of the butterfly effect. In other words, the number of variables approaches infinite without actually being infinite. Just at the edge of finite. ^_^ Sounds silly? Well, imagine trying to fly a ship to the nearest quasar with current technology and that's about how I think it will be like even in that far off future. By the time you get there, it will have changed. This is excluding the fact that it has already changed by the time you see it thanks to the fact that even light has a limited speed. |
|
Re: Unifying Theory
|
|
The only Unifying Theory I can come up with is that space itself is infinite, you can never tell what is going to happen next. You can only predict happenings based on past results and still there will be a tendency that the predictions are wrong. Physics is just statistics being complicated and reasoned out.
Death, Rebirth and Create
|
|
Re: Unifying Theory
Link |
by darkknight932
on 2005-07-30 13:41:56
|
| I believe the equation is possible. Hey, if Einstein decided to pursue in proving this theory for the last 20 years of his life then I guess it must exist. Even today, we have several physicists out there who are still working on what Einstein had left. |
|
Re: Unifying Theory
Link |
by
on 2005-07-30 17:22:43 |
|
the problem is, the closer we get to a unified theory, the less it makes sense in terms of the material world we experience. further complicating things is the fact that we have very little evidence to go on. the galaxies close to us are flying away, some swirls on photo-reactive paper, a tiny magnet hovering over a cold semiconductor... with these tiny clues and our simple mammalian brains, its a wonder that we can get so far as the moon!
|