CATEGORY:
FQXi Essay Contest - Is Reality Digital or Analog?
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Fluctuation and Superposition of Digital and Analog Aspects of Spacetime by Willard Mittelman
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Author Willard Mittelman wrote on Jan. 3, 2011 @ 15:57 GMT
Essay AbstractMotivated by the problem of obtaining a plausible account of dark energy, we describe the microstructure of spacetime as continually fluctuating between discreteness and a generally continuous state, with dark energy taking the form of a quantum potential of spacetime that emerges from this process of fluctuation. In addition, we consider the problem of explaining the initial conditions of our universe, which leads us to entertain the idea that spacetime itself is a superposition of both discrete and continuous metrics.
Author BioGraduated from Michigan State University and received a PhD in philosophy from the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill). Since 1999 has lived in Athens, Georgia, working for the University of Georgia.
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Peter Jackson wrote on Jan. 6, 2011 @ 12:44 GMT
Willard
I enjoyed your essay, and agreed with almost all the content, particularly your preferred frame, and;
"Specifically, we can view this preferred frame as a “gravitational aether”."
You have to sidestep constancy of 'c' (CSL) but I hope I can help your theory with the model my own essay (20-20 vision - a Model of Discretion) which allows the 3rd frame by means of a quantum mechanism for CSL in SR.
I'd be interested in your views.
Best of luck
Peter
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Author Willard Mittelman wrote on Jan. 6, 2011 @ 17:26 GMT
Hi Peter,
Thanks for your helpful comment; I like the idea that your theory can ensure peaceful co-existence between CSL and a preferred frame (see also the comment I've attached to your own paper).
Good luck with your work,
Willard
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Peter Jackson wrote on Jan. 8, 2011 @ 22:24 GMT
Thanks for your support Willard.
I'm also now quite convinced the model finally fully unifies SR and QM, which Roger Penrose described as the 'Holy Grail' of physics. Unfortunately I'm also quite convinced that most are so indoctrinated with the current paradigm they'll be unable to recognise the way out into the light.
There do however seem to be a slowly growing number who can think like we do, are unhappy with the rut we're in and are willing to follow Bragg's advice. (There are at least 2 more here). Soon the lunatic asylums may be too small for us all to be consigned there as crackpots. But I'm at a loss how to speed up the process, which may still fail, (and with it humanity?) I just hope for the day my thesis is criticised for being 'self evident'! Walter Babin believes we currently lack anyone with the intellect and 'authority' to take a firm stance. I agree it would help. Any ideas or help you can give would be welcome.
In the meantime I hope I can rely on a good ('community') rating from you, as it may at least get the judges to take it seriously. Yours certainly deserves similar.
Best wishes.
Peter
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Edwin Eugene Klingman wrote on Jan. 10, 2011 @ 03:15 GMT
Dear Willard Mittelman,
Thanks for your comment on Peter Jackson's page. You further stimulated my interest in Peter's CSL remarks to me.
I don't claim to understand every detail of your paper, but what little I do understand makes me wonder whether you are looking for discrete length and time elements [the 'causet elements'], and particularly elements that explain "the initial co-existence of high temperature with very low entropy."
My preference is to believe in only one discrete 'element', the action, h, and to allow continuity everywhere else (no minimum length or time) subject to my generalized quantum principle: (dm/dt)(dx)**2 = h.
If you view the single "origin element" as a perfect fluid with continuity, I believe that the high temp-low entropy problem is solved as explained in my essay. The outward radial velocity [temp] at least equals the gravitational potential at the singularity [the zero total energy (free lunch) universe], and the 'shape' of the solution to the Master equation provides low entropy. Only the action is discrete.
I don't know if this makes any sense in your FS framework, but I offer it for what it's worth. It may or may not be consistent with what you're proposing. As a side note, my universe begins with perfect symmetry [again, probably requiring complete continuity] and I don't believe a Big Crunch will ever reproduce the original perfect symmetry, so I don't think we'll see another Big Bang.
Good luck and thanks again,
Edwin Eugene Klingman
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Author Willard Mittelman replied on Jan. 10, 2011 @ 05:23 GMT
Hello Edwin,
Thanks for your comments. My interest in the idea of spacetime discreteness is actually motivated by the idea's relevance to the issue of black hole entropy, as well as by its applicability to the problem of dark energy. The existence of such motivation doesn't prove that spacetime is discrete, of course, since (e.g.) there are other possible ways of explaining dark energy; but I believe it does at least indicate that spacetime discreteness is an idea worth exploring. At the same time, it is important to explore other approaches as well, such as your own highly interesting theory.
A plurality of approaches is also warranted with respectt to the problem of the universe's initial conditions. I actually agree with you that continuity is important in connection with this problem. I'm not sure, though, how the shape of the solution to your Master equation guarantees initial low entropy; any explanation or clarification of this point would be much appreciated.
Good luck with your ongoing theoretical endeavors,
Willard
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Edwin Eugene Klingman replied on Jan. 11, 2011 @ 03:11 GMT
Willard,
Thanks for the comment on Peter's page. I'm still absorbing that, but I wanted to respond to your last question.
Also, at some point I'd like to discuss black hole entropy and holography with you.
But the immediate issue is to resolve the 'low entropy' problem of a high energy big bang. Recall that my Master equation del (dot) phi = phi (dot) phi has solution phi = 1/r where phi is a radial vector. Since phi is quickly found to be gravity G, with energy proportional to G*G and mass proportional to energy,E=mc**2, then the G-field distribution and hence the G-field energy, and hence the G-field mass is distributed as 1/r, that is the mass is inversely proportional to distance (squared) from the 'origin'.
If we are dealing with a continuous field (as opposed to a smallest finite element of space) then we can obtain as large a mass as we want, since 1/r comes as close as we want to a singularity. We can thus see that the lion's share of the mass is effectively 'at' the origin; r=0.
But if you told me that all of the gaseous energy in a large cube was effectively concentrated 'at' one of the corners of the cube, then I would say that this was very low entropy, since the high entropy distribution would be evenly distributed over the entire volume of the cube. So, in similar fashion, the location of all of the energy/mass of the G-field at the origin or singularity r=0, is a low entropy solution, whereas all of the GR-inspired FLRW 'dust' models are homogeneously distributed over the entire volume of the universe and hence are high entropy solutions. This is why Roger Penrose also tries to engineer a Big Crunch that will somehow lead to a following low entropy big bang.
I hope this is clearer now. You might read the relevant part of my essay again, with the above in mind.
I'm going to think some more on the comments you and Peter left me on his page. I have some ideas and interesting results, but I'm still somewhat confused.
Edwin Eugene Klingman
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Author Willard Mittelman replied on Jan. 11, 2011 @ 06:46 GMT
Edwin,
Two points: (i) it is unclear what the initial size of the "cube" is in your model; (ii) the "clumping" of matter can indeed be associated with high entropy, e.g. in the case of black holes - see p. 728 of Penrose's "Road to Reality."
Best Regards,
Willard
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Edwin Eugene Klingman wrote on Jan. 11, 2011 @ 07:11 GMT
Willard, You've lost me on both points. Specifying one 'size' in my cube example doesn't determine entropy, with no other data specified, and Penrose is talking baryons which I suspect are evenly distributed inside black holes, while the G-field distribution in a perfect fluid is quite different. But since I haven't done in calculations on the entropy, I can't say. I still believe that the only quantum is Planck's constant and the perfect fluid is a continuum. I'll try to compute the entropy, but it's not at the top of my list of todo's.
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Author Willard Mittelman replied on Jan. 11, 2011 @ 19:15 GMT
Hi Edwin,
Penrose is not talking specifically about baryons, and in fact the particular nature of the matter or mass here is irrelevant; the key question is simply whether or not gravitational effects are prominent - if they are, then clumping of matter is associated with high entropy (see pp. 706-7, as well as p. 728, of Penrose). Presumably, in your model, gravitational effects are indeed prominent at the origin r=0, since it seems from what you say that the G-field approaches a singularity there. Hence, I'm not sure how you get a low-entropy initial state for the universe. You could perhaps claim that the universe-"cube" is initially very large and has low entropy everywhere except in the vicinity of r=0, in which case the entropy density at least might be low (as it is in Steinhardt & Turok's ekpyrotic model); hence my question about the size of the cube. Judging from your reply, though, you don't seem to be making a specific claim about the size of the cube; and in any case, it's unclear that the overall entropy density can be made sufficiently low here, given the high entropy near r=0.
Best Wishes,
Willard
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Author Willard Mittelman replied on Jan. 11, 2011 @ 19:35 GMT
Edwin,
I just want to add that it's perfectly okay if you want to leave the question of entropy aside and focus on other aspects of your theory; it's just that your earlier remarks about entropy piqued my curiosity and led me to ask for further details. If there are other things on your "to-do list" that have higher priority, that's fine; we don't need to keep going back and forth about entropy.
Good Luck,
Willard
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Edwin Eugene Klingman replied on Jan. 11, 2011 @ 22:10 GMT
Willard, thanks for the additional remarks. One of us is missing something, probably me. I'll read the other pages in Penrose and think about it some more. Entropy is not the main point of my theory, and I may be incorrect there. At the moment a much higher to-do is the topic you and I and Peter were discussing. I hope to offer a new idea there in the next few days, unless I'm fooling myself.
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narsep wrote on Jan. 13, 2011 @ 10:46 GMT
Dear Willard,
I had a glance to your essay and I listed it for a better read. For the present I would stay to your conclusions that are in accordance to the concept of my essay.
"In conclusion, then, spacetime – and, ipso facto, reality itself – has a fundamentally dual nature marked by (i) a superposition of discrete and continuous metrics, and hence of the digital and the analog, and (ii) microstructural fluctuations between digital states and near-analog states. In addition, the “analog component” of the above superposition manifests as a continuum viscous stress tensor, which adds a further analog aspect to reality.":
It is evidence that discreetness can be seen only when we examine the virtual part of our reality (e.g. electron as wave, light as waver). In real part "near-analog" states are seen (Fig. 6 in my essay). However, Is there any evidence that this part is really analogue and not near-analogue?
I always wonder how you can do physics without figures. As a chemist, I have great difficulty in following mathematical formulations. Contrary, I am sure I can grasp any complex theory that has the plain reality (geometry or spirit) as base.
best regards,
narsep (ioannis hadjidakis)
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Anonymous replied on Jan. 13, 2011 @ 16:35 GMT
Hello Ioannis,
Thanks for your comments and question. By a "near-analog" state, I mean a global state of the microstructure of spacetime, such that this microstructure is analog "almost everywhere." The fact that it is not totally analog reflects the fact that the cancellation of the random fluctuations of N spacetime elements (where N is approximately equal to the four-volume V of the universe, and hence is a very large number) is not total or exact - specifically, there is always (by the Law of Large Numbers, and the random character of the relevant fluctuations) an uncanceled remnant of approximately square-root-of-N-many elements, a remnant that is very small in comparison with N. The presence of these elements entails that the spacetime microstructure is characterized by a certain discontinuity, and hence a certain (small) deviation from a totally or purely analog state. From my standpoint, the existence of this deviation, and hence the fact that we are dealing with a state that is (only) "near-analog," is crucial to explaining the phenomenon of dark energy. Hence, if one accepts my theoretical perspective on dark energy, the very existence of dark energy represents evidence that spacetime is never totally analog but only "comes close" to being completely analog. Of course, if one opts for a different account of dark energy altogether, then it is possible that one could find evidence that spacetime is really analog; but from my standpoint, at least, this possibility is not available.
One motivation for my account of dark energy, an account which is broadly similar to (and in fact, is inspired by) the treatment of dark energy in causal set theory, is the existence of an analogy between dark energy (or the "cosmological constant") and the surface tension of fluid membranes: this analogy is discussed in R. Katti et al., "The Universe in a Soap Film" [arXiv:0904.1057]. Perhaps, with your background in chemistry, you will find this analogy to be interesting. (Or perhaps not.) In any case, best wishes to you,
Willard
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Author Willard Mittelman replied on Jan. 13, 2011 @ 18:21 GMT
"Anonymous" in the above comment was me (Willard Mittelman). Sorry I forgot to login!
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Eckard Blumschein replied on Feb. 14, 2011 @ 00:19 GMT
Dear Willard Mittelman,
Since your admittedly impressive work is based on causal set theory, I cannot expect you to welcome my rather contrary essay. Please do not reject my arguments without an attempt to reveal possible flaws in my reasoning.
Regards,
Eckard
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Edwin Eugene Klingman wrote on Jan. 27, 2011 @ 23:28 GMT
Dear Willard,
I hope you recall the issues we spoke of with respect to Peter Jackson's essay. I've finally posted a brief pdf that I believe relates to these issues (while being based on the ideas in my essay.) I would hope you find time to read it through a few times and then I'd be very interested in your comments.
GEM and the Constant Speed of LightEdwin Eugene Klingman
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Author Willard Mittelman replied on Jan. 28, 2011 @ 22:54 GMT
Hi Edwin,
Thanks for the opportunity to read your new and interesting paper. Here are a few brief initial comments and questions; I apologize in advance if I've misunderstood your ideas. Also, please take these remarks as providing simply an opportunity for providing additional information and/or clarification.
1.) I'm not sure why, on p. 2, you say "if we ignore gravity..."; since you're dealing with a GRAVITO-magnetic field, it's unclear how gravity can legitimately be ignored here.
2.) Also on p. 2, you write the equations describing the C-field and its circulation using merely approximate equality (wavy lines for the "equals" sign); on the following pages, however (and once on p. 2), you switch to exact equality, but without any explanation or justification for doing so. This is an important issue, since if the equations here are not exact, it is possible for the value of c to undergo some variation, which of course you don't want.
3.) Again on p. 2, you give an equation in which the C-field's circulation is equal to 2p, but elsewhere you use "p" for this circulation; so, there seems to be a discrepancy here that needs clearing up.
I don't know if this is helpful or not; if not, I'm sorry.
Best Wishes,
Willard Mittelman
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Edwin Eugene Klingman replied on Jan. 29, 2011 @ 00:25 GMT
Willard,
Thanks for the comments. I have to remember that things that are clear to me must be made clear for others. In GEM (gravito-electro-magnetic) theory, the G-field is the radial analog of the E-field in electro-magnetics, and the C-field is analogous to the magnetic field. And in the same way that in electro-magnetics the circulation of B is dependent on the time rate of change dE/dt, the circulation of the C-field depends on 'mass current' (momentum) and upon dG/dt.
So when I say "ignore gravity" what I meant to say was "assume the gravito-electric field G is not changing". If gravity does change we get red-shift or blue-shift, which I wish to ignore here.
That is what the wavy line ~ represented, as well as suppressing the constants in the equation.
The equation in which I show "2p" is a vector identity, that is meant to show that if C is defined strictly as an angular momentum term r cross p, then the equation is trivially satisfied. Since the C-field has units angular frequency, and other constants play into the equation to make all terms reduce to the same units, the '2p' was meant to be suggestive that C will probably look a lot like angular momentum. I realize that that is confusing, and will probably simply delete that rather than explain it.
I will probably do a little cleanup based on your feedback. I hope the above answers your questions and you can proceed to see if it makes sense to you. I'm pretty happy with it, needless to say. And if you had not put your two cents in, I'm not sure I would have gotten so deeply into Peter's paper.
Edwin Eugene Klingman
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Edwin Eugene Klingman replied on Jan. 29, 2011 @ 01:00 GMT
It's cleaned up now. -- Edwin Eugene Klingman
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Author Willard Mittelman wrote on Jan. 29, 2011 @ 21:20 GMT
Hi Edwin,
Thanks for your helpful remarks; they do help clear things up. At this point, I'll try asking a question; it's possible that this question reflects additional misunderstandings on my part - if so, maybe you can clear things up further with new comments. At any rate, my question is prompted by your remark, at the bottom of p. 5 of your new paper, that the key equation you obtain "couples the electromagnetic field and the gravito-magnetic, or C-field". To me, this suggests that, in addition to the C- and G-fields, there also exists the familiar electromagnetic (EM) field of existing physical theory. My question, then, is this: given the EM field's existence, what theoretical or experimental motivation is there for positing additional electromagnetic fields in the form of your C- and G-fields? Or are you claiming that the EM field is itself derived from the G-field and your master equation? If the latter is the case, then it would be good to have the derivation worked out explicitly, and in detail. (It's important in this connection to avoid simply assuming that the known properties of the EM field apply to the G-field as well, since this just raises the question of why the G-field is needed over and above the EM field.) So far, I haven't been able to find such a derivation in your writings; if you have presented the derivation somewhere, and I missed it, then I apologize.
Best Wishes,
Willard
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Anonymous wrote on Jan. 29, 2011 @ 22:55 GMT
Willard,
I really appreciate your efforts to understand my theory, and I'll try to answer.
The primordial field, in my theory, is gravity. It satisfies the Calabi conjecture and, as I understand it, deSitter space, where gravity extends over (defines?) all space, and is generated by its own self energy. This bootstrap is mathematically justified, and since no one knows WHY the...
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Willard,
I really appreciate your efforts to understand my theory, and I'll try to answer.
The primordial field, in my theory, is gravity. It satisfies the Calabi conjecture and, as I understand it, deSitter space, where gravity extends over (defines?) all space, and is generated by its own self energy. This bootstrap is mathematically justified, and since no one knows WHY the universe came into being, I simply assume it existed as one field. The Master equation is perfectly symmetrical and motion invariant, but the formal time derivative makes sense only if a new constant (Planck's constant) appears. Thus the perfect radial symmetry remains until a 'quantum fluctuation' [my second assumption] occurs in an 'off-radial' direction, unlocking the energy of the C-field, which had been suppressed by the perfect symmetry.
We now have the full gravitational field with radial and circulatory aspects.
The fact that both directly interact with mass and both have energy, hence equivalent mass, and the interaction is non-linear, means that a C-field vortex will establish a 'solenoidal' C-field dipole, which strengthens the vortex, which strengthens the dipole, which strengthens the vortex, with the process ending in an infinitely dense point. UNLESS THERE IS A LIMITING CONDITION. I next assume that a limiting condition exists [otherwise the universe would be nothing but one [or more?] infinitely dense points, which doesn't seem to be the case. The condition I impose is a 'limit to the curvature of the C-field. That is, the C-field vortex has a 'minimum radius' that prevents collapse to an infinitely dense point.
But where does that lead? Picture a spinning skater who pulls her arms in. How fast can she spin if she can pull her arms into zero radius? Got that? Is there an answer? On the way to 'zero radius' can her fingertips reach the speed of light? We are not 'boosting' her in any way that requires infinite energy, we're just conserving angular momentum.
Since there is nothing stopping the non-linear vortex-dipole-vortex-dipole--- feedback process, in which the energy-mass of the vortex wall serves as a 'mass current' (momentum) that induces a solenoidal C-field dipole, then the radius of the vortex keeps shrinking and the velocity of the vortex wall continues to speedup to conserve angular momentum. Where does this end? Will the vortex wall reach the speed of light? If it does, then how is it connected to the rest of the world, since, if there was an electromagnetic field, we could not 'look at' the the vortex, because, moving faster than the speed of light, it would have 'moved on'.
I hope you're still with me.
Now, if you work out the equations, it turns out that this radius is basically the Compton wavelength, and I make my next assumption, which is that at this point, electric charge comes into existence. It's probably my weakest assumption in my whole theory, but, I now have mass, charge, gravity and electro-magnetics.
And obviously the charge that is on the vortex 'wall' will resist the shrinking to an infinitely dense point through self-repulsion. So now a true limiting force exists to prevent infinitely dense points of C-field energy.
If one takes the simple equation of the mass of the vortex wall being forced into a smaller orbit, and sets it equal to the self-repulsive force of the electron, then one would hope to find the equilibrium where the inward C-field force and the outward electric force are equal and the particle is stable. And when this equation is worked out, the fine structure constant (1/137) falls out! I put the exclamation sign because I don't believe that there exists another theory that can calculate the fine structure constant.
By the way, the v=c radius is the Compton wavelength of the particle, but the radius where the charge repulsion equals the inward force is about 10^-18 meters which agrees with the best measurements. So the electromagnetic field can see only to the v=c radius, but collision data can see all the way down to the 'real' radius. I find that nice.
So now we have a Z-boson (the C-field vortex) that produces a charged particle and, if charge is conserved, then the remaining vortex (outside of the Compton wavelength radius) has acquired a charge, and become a W-boson, ready to produce an 'anti-particle'.
There's more, but I'll stop here to let you put the picture together in your own mind.
By the way, having left both academia and the government years ago to run my companies, I am not in the loop, and my submissions to Phys Rev Lett were immediately rejected with "don't darken our door again". So, I had the choice of 'start with inconsequential journals and work my way up' (which at my age is not appealing) or simply put this into books and hope someone reads them. Although I have presented the above in several factual books, the most complete presentation is in
"The Chromodynamics War", which has the format of a scifi novel, in the hope that graduate physics students, upon reading a scifi novel that explained things better than their QCD textbooks might be induced to look further. Then fqxi came along and gave me another outlet.
Each book has worked out more details and corrected earlier typos and mistakes, but the most complete treatment of particle physics is "The Chromodynamics War". A version that drops the scifi narrative and simply presents this in straight form is in process, to be titled, "Physics of the Chromodynamics War".
Willard, sorry this can't all fit into 9 pages, but it just can't. I do appreciate your interest.
Edwin Eugene Klingman
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Edwin Eugene Klingman wrote on Jan. 30, 2011 @ 03:39 GMT
Willard,
Upon re-reading your last post, I want to be sure that I answered your question completely.
The 'gravity', G, that i mention is the one you are familiar with, from Newton to Einstein to Hawking.
The electro-magnetic fields, E and B, you are also familiar with, from Maxwell to Einstein, etc.
The C-field, which I never heard of in my academic career, is the aspect of gravity that has the same relationship to G as the magnetic field has to B in electrodynamics.
E and B can be considered as 'two' fields, or B can be considered as the relativistic aspect of the 'one' E field. The choice, as far as I can tell, is one of convenience.
Now Maxwell, noticing that Newton's equation and Coulomb's equation had identical form, if we replace G by E and mass by charge, postulated that one could perfom this replacement in ALL of Maxwell's field equations. But this left a 'hole'. What was the analog of the magnetic field? This is the C-field, which he called the gravito-magnetic field. It is either a 4th field or the relativistic aspect of the gravity field. I treat it as a fourth field, because it simplifies things.
So, the short story is: We start with G, which has perfect symmetry. When this 'breaks' we now have G and C **and nothing else**. But the C-field self-interacting vortex will spiral to an infinitely dense point or else something else will happen. I describe the case in which something else happens: electric charge appears at the v=c horizon of the shrinking vortex. Now that we have electric charge, we have the electric and magnetic fields, E and B.
So we now have four fields, G and C, that interact with mass (and hence each other) and E and B, which interact with charge, but are themselves uncharged.
When the term 'electro-magnetic' is applied to gravity, it is an analogy. It is not an equivalence. The G-C mass-based fields are ultimately different from the E-B charge-based fields.
I hope it keeps getting clearer. G and C follow from Einstein's general relativity, I didn't make them up. E and B follow from Maxwell's field equations.
Edwin Eugene Klingman
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Author Willard Mittelman wrote on Jan. 30, 2011 @ 15:23 GMT
Hi Edwin,
Thanks very much for both of your posts; I think I'm beginning to get a handle on your ideas now! The second post was especially helpful in getting me to understand the motivation for the C-field. I don't have any more comments or questions at present; I do plan to read some of your other papers and books, though. I don't know how you feel about viXra.org, but I think it would be worthwhile to have your writings archived there. In any case, good luck with your continued efforts!
Best Wishes,
Willard
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Edwin Eugene Klingman replied on Jan. 30, 2011 @ 20:35 GMT
Willard, thanks for the effort you have put into my theory and for any that you intend to do. I only recently became aware of viXra, and will look into it. I appreciate your suggestion, and your comments, and hope we have occasion to continue this conversation at a time of your choosing.
Good luck in the contest, and thanks again.
Edwin Eugene Klingman
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Peter Jackson wrote on Feb. 1, 2011 @ 11:25 GMT
Edwin
I posted back to you on my string.
The above was also very helpful, and rang a steeple full of bells.
In my latest paper (which haven't yet got accepted either) I identify tokamacs as the geometrical solution, which I think is analageous to your field relationships.
The rotation and forces are not only dual axis but helical. It is a torus, with a plasmasphere of 'extended space' translating at rest with it, which spins round it's 'ring' axis, with a force also round it's sectional circumference, giving and endless helix. This is from nuclear physics, but the whole angular momentum of a galaxy is concentrated into one (though not quite ALL at once, hence blazars) because black holes are toroid. (also stellar mass bh's - you must know the Chandra crab nebula core photo). Tokamaks have 'intrinsic' rotational motion. If scaling works how it should quasars even become a prime candidate as a big bang process, which means big 'crunch', and before it was our predecessor galaxy. Then that's the sort of thinking that gets papers rejected of course. Peer review editors will have a lot to answer for come the revolution!
40] J.E. Rice et al 2007 Nucl. Fusion 47 1618 IOP Inter-machine comparison of intrinsic toroidal rotation in tokamaks. http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0029-5515/47/11/025
And re your note about the vortex wall = a little over 7 x c, which is the max ejection velocity we've found from our frame (but 'c' locally in the 'incentric' graduated stream).
I'm trying to work out precisely how the FSC emerges at 1/137th. I have it increasing with motion, and the fine structure itself as the diffractive medium. (all receivers measure em at c because the receivers fine structure makes it so). Ergo inertial frames.
I'm doing some further revisions to my current paper (on galaxy evolution) and would like to cite something of yours. I'm not quite sure what and where yet but would need to do it quickly, and it would need to be concise - any ideas? peter.jackson53@ymail.com
I really must find one your books!
Any harmonious oscillations there?
Best wishes
Peter
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Peter Jackson wrote on Feb. 1, 2011 @ 19:08 GMT
Willard
Sorry about the above for Edwin -I was re-appreciating your paper, then catching up with posts, and forgot it wasn't Edwin's string.
I've also just caught up with Joy Christian blog on her disproof of Bells inequity, and mentioned your essay as well as mine and Edwins. You may like to see it and her papers if you haven't yet.
Best wishes
Peter
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Edwin Eugene Klingman wrote on Feb. 3, 2011 @ 22:23 GMT
Willard,
You may have noted my comments that others should check out Joy Christian's new work
here.
This work is relevant to my essay, which is based on a theory of local realism that goes against the grain of the 50 year old 'non-local', 'non-real' entanglement interpretations. These interpretations have flowed from so-called 'violations' of Bell's inequality, which, if Christian is correct, are based on Bell's faulty calculation of 2 instead of the correctly calculated 2*sqrt(2).
As a consequence of Bell's result, 'local realism' fell into disfavor. On another thread Florin remarked that something "has the smell of local realism", even though I pointed out many current quotes from Phys Rev Lett that clearly stated that these issues had not been proved beyond a doubt [for reasons that may no longer be relevant.] As a further consequence, any theory, such as mine, that *is* based on local realism starts off with three strikes against it. For this reason, I am happy that Christian has shown Bell's calculations to be in error, thereby rescuing local realism from near death.
I have placed some further comments summarizing Christian's results on my page, and don't wish to clutter up your page with such.
I hope that, in judging my essay, you take these new results on realism into account, as they are extremely significant, if correct. I look forward to any comments you might have.
Edwin Eugene Klingman
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Walter wrote on Feb. 16, 2011 @ 12:07 GMT
Dear Willard,
Maybe this is just a bad luck. I chose some essays at random (looking for an interestig title). You know, there is probably more than 100. The first one was quite easy to get (with some help from the Internet). The next impossible. Yours is the third and it is also too hard to understand and evaluate. Too much equations and professional jargon. For example:
“The expression for the quantum potential is obtained by substituting the Madelung representation of ψ into the Schrodinger equation, a substitution that yields two equations, one of which is the Quantum Hamilton-Jacobi Equation (QHJE); writing “R” for √ρ, the quantum potential is given by the term “[(-ħ2/2m)(ΔR/R)]” occurring in the QHJE, which has the following form [7, 8]:
∂S/∂t + (∇S)2/2m + V – [(ħ2/2m)(ΔR/R)] = 0."
I am not a professional physicist. I am only Scientific American reader for years. According to FXQi: the essays shall be accessible to a diverse, well-educated but non-specialist audience, aiming in the range between the level of Scientific American and a review article in Science or Nature.
Anyway I wish you good luck!
Walter John
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Author Willard Mittelman replied on Feb. 16, 2011 @ 18:51 GMT
Hello Walter,
I may have misunderstood the meaning of "non-specialist." The equation that you reference involves basic calculus concepts and elementary quantum theory. As such, one doesn't need to be a professional physicist to understand it. It may be, nonetheless, that my essay is unsuitable for non-specialists; unfortuantely, I'm just not sure how to define what constitutes a "non-specialist" here. Granted, I could have added more explanatory remarks, but it's difficult to know just how much to add, and I didn't want to make the paper too long. At any rate, I wish someone from FQXi had said something when the essay was originally submitted; I could have either tried to rewrite it or simply withdrawn it altogether. I would rather have had the essay rejected as unsuitable than have it cause problems and frustrations for readers.
With Sincere Apologies,
Willard Mittelman
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Jonathan J. Dickau wrote on Feb. 18, 2011 @ 21:42 GMT
Hello Willard,
Good to see you in this contest. I look forward to reading your essay. I got my submission in at the last minute, but it is
here now. I daresay that mine is less technical, and therefore better suited to the non-specialist reader, but I have generally found reading your papers fun. So I wish you the best of luck!
Regards,
Jonathan J. Dickau
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Steve Dufourny replied on Feb. 20, 2011 @ 16:50 GMT
amen dear gentlemen , so politness hihiihi irriting this belgian.
But don't kill me dear friends, I am nice you know never I have crushed an insect, and you , perhaps during the night with moskitoes after all.Thus you aren't real universalists, hihihihi LOL
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Peter Jackson wrote on Mar. 7, 2011 @ 10:08 GMT
Willard
Just re-reading the essays that gelled with me. I still appreciate yours and can't imagine why your community score is not better, I'm posting the top score I think it's worth now. (I hope you may also score mine if you haven't yet). I also hope you may agree your viewpoint is consistent with mine and the similarly based concept for which Edwin is currently carrying the flag, and Constantinos Regaza has done some excellent consistent maths work on.
Best wishes
Peter
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Author Willard Mittelman wrote on Mar. 8, 2011 @ 17:12 GMT
Hi Peter,
Thanks for your kind remarks. Personally, I'm not very concerned about the community score; the important thing is to have been able to communicate fruitfully with at least a few individuals, such as you and Edwin. (For what it's worth, though, I did rate both your and Edwin's papers some time ago and gave them very high marks.) At any rate, I apologize for not posting very much; unfortunately, I've been preoccupied lately with a lot of mundane matters. I do agree that our viewpoints are fundamentally consistent. One possible sticking point, as I said to Edwin awhile ago, is that I am inclined toward a Machian/nonlocal view of the universe, of the sort that has been advanced in a number of papers by Merab Gogberashvili. However, there is an interesting article (on arXiv) by Khoury and Parikh, entitled "Mach's Holographic Principle," that makes the case that nonlocal and local accounts of reality (in particular, of gravity) are in fact basically compatible. So, I don't actually see a serious tension between our different viewpoints.
Thanks also, by the way, for the reference to Constantinos Ragazas; his papers look interesting!
Best Wishes,
Willard
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Peter Jackson wrote on Mar. 8, 2011 @ 17:38 GMT
Willard
I see local and non local as purely relative! In fact I've just derived that there are multiple universes in both the time ans space dimensions!! If you have a mo check this out; http://vixra.org/abs/1102.0016
Or if you want to escape the mundane look at Tommy Gilbertson's!
Very best wishes
Peter
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basudeba wrote on Mar. 20, 2011 @ 06:15 GMT
Sub: Possibility of manipulation in judging criteria – suggestions for improvement.
Sir,
We had filed a complaint to FQXi and Scienticfic American regarding Possibility of manipulation in judging criteria and giving some suggestions for improvement. Acopy of our letter is enclosed for your kind information.
“We are a non-professional and non-academic entrant to the Essay...
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Sub: Possibility of manipulation in judging criteria – suggestions for improvement.
Sir,
We had filed a complaint to FQXi and Scienticfic American regarding Possibility of manipulation in judging criteria and giving some suggestions for improvement. Acopy of our letter is enclosed for your kind information.
“We are a non-professional and non-academic entrant to the Essay contest “Is Reality Digital or Analog”. Our Essay under the same name was published on 29-12-2010. We were associated with Academic Administration as a part of our profession before retirement. From our experience, we were concerned about the problems and directions of current science. One example is the extended run and up-gradation given to LHC, (which was set up to finally prove that Standard Model and SUSY were wrong), even when Tevatron is closing down. Thus, after retirement, we were more focused on foundational works addressing, in one of its many facets, our understanding of the deep or “ultimate” nature of reality.
Specifically we were concerned about the blind acceptance of the so-called “established theories” due to the rush for immediate and easy recognition even on the face of contradictions raising questions on the very theories. One example is the questions being raised on the current theories of gravitation after the discovery of Pioneer anomaly. While most students know about MOND, they are not aware of the Pioneer anomaly. Most of the finalists of this contest have either not addressed or insufficiently addressed this question. We hold that gravity is a composite force that stabilizes. This way we can not only explain the Pioneer anomaly and the deflection of the Voyager space-craft, but also the Fly-by anomalies.
Similarly, we were concerned about the blind acceptance of some concepts, such as inertial mass increase, gravitational waves, Higg’s boson, strings, extra-dimensions, etc. Some of these are either non-existent or wrongly explained. For example, we have given a different explanation for ten spatial dimensions. Similarly, we have explained the charge interactions differently from the Coulomb’s law. We have defined time, space, number and infinity etc., differently and derived all out formulae from fundamental principles. There are much more, which we had discussed under various threads under different Essays. We are the only entrant who defined “reality” and all other technical terms precisely and strictly used this definition throughout our discussion.
Though our essay was on foundational concepts and we derived everything from fundamental principles, it was basically alternative physics. Moreover, we are not known in scientific circles because we did not publish our work earlier. Hence it is surprising that even we got a community rating of 3.0 and (12 ratings) and Public Rating of 2.5 (2 ratings). We have no complaints in this regard. However, we have serious reservations about the manner in which the finalists were chosen.
A set of thirty-five finalists (the “Finalists”) have been chosen based on the essays with the top Community ratings that have each received at least ten ratings. The FQXi Members and approved Contest entrants rate the essays as “Community evaluators”. Since many of the FQXi Members are also approved Contest entrants, this effectively makes the contestant as the judge for selection of the finalists. This process not only goes against the foundational goals of the Contest, but also leaves itself open for manipulation.
Most contestants are followers of what they call as “mainstream physics”. Thus, they will not be open to encourage revolutionary new ideas because it goes against their personal beliefs either fully (like our essay) or partially (like many other essays that did not find place in the final list. One example is Ms Georgina Parry. There are many more.) The prime reason for such behavior is cultural bias and basic selfish instinct of human beings. Thus, truly foundational essays will be left out of the final list.
In support of the above, we give a few examples. While there are some really deserving contestants like Mr. Julian Barbour, who really deserve placement in the final listing, the same cannot be said for many others. Mr. Daniele Oriti, who tops the list of finalists, says that whether reality is digital or analog “refers, at least implicitly, to the ‘ultimate’ nature of reality, the fundamental layer.” He admits that “I do not know what this could mean, nor I am at ease with thinking in these terms.” Then how could he discuss the issue scientifically? Science is not about beliefs or suppositions. His entire essay exhibits his beliefs and suppositions that are far from scientific descriptions. He admits it when he talks about “speculative scenario”. Yet, his essay has been rated as number one by the Community.
The correspondence between us and Mr. Efthimios Harokopos under his Essay and our comments under the various top ranking finalists show the same pattern. One example is Mr. Paul Halpern. We have raised some fundamental questions under the essay of Mr. Hector Zenil. If the answers to these questions are given, most of the finalists will be rejected. If the idea is to find out the answers to these questions, then also most of the finalists will be rejected.
The public that read and rated the essays are not just laymen, but intelligent persons following the developments of science. Their views cannot be ignored lightly. Mr. Daniele Oriti, who tops the list of finalists as per community rating, occupies 35th place in public rating. Mr, Tejinder Singth, who is 7th among the list of finalists as per community rating, occupies 25th place in public rating. If public rating is so erroneous, it should be abolished.
Secondly, the author and interested readers (including FQXi Members, other contest entrants, and the general public) are invited to discuss and comment on the essay. Here personal relationship and lobbying plays an important role. An analysis of the correspondence between various contestants will show that there was hectic lobbying for mutual rating. For example: Eckard Blumschein (Finalist Sl. No. 15) had written on Mar. 15, 2011 to Mr. Ian Durham (Finalist Sl. No. 3) “Since you did not yet answered my question you give me an excuse for not yet voting for you.” There are many such examples of open lobbying. One of the first entrants visited most contestants and lobbied for reading his essay. Thus, not only he has received the highest number of posts under his Essay, but has emerged as one of top contenders.
The above statement gets further strengthened if we look at the voting pattern. More than 100 essays were submitted between Feb.1-15. Of these 21 out of 35 are the finalists. Of these the essays of 14 contestants were published in 5 days between Feb. 14-18. Is it a mere coincidence? For some contestants, maximum rating took place on the last day. For example, on the last date alone, Mr. Paul Halpern rose from 14th place to 5th place, Mr. Donatello Dolce rose from 35th place to 14th place, and Mr. Christian Stoica came into the top 35. All these cannot be coincidental.
Thirdly, no person is allowed to submit more than one essay to the Contest, regardless if he or she is entering individually or as part of a collaborative essay. Yet, we suspect that some have indulged in such activities. For example, we commented below the essay of one contestant on March 4. We got a reply from the next contestant the same day. The correspondence continued. The original contender has not replied to us. In fact he has only replied twice in 20 posts. This is surprising.
In view of the above, we request you to kindly review your judging process and forward all essays to an independent screening committee (to which no contestant or their relatives will be empanelled), who will reject the essays that are not up to the mark and select the other essays without any strict restriction on numbers to the final judges panel. This will eliminate the problems and possibilities discussed by us. This will also have the benefit of a two tier independent evaluation.
Our sole motive for writing this letter is to improve the quality of competition. Hence it should be viewed from the same light”.
Regards,
Basudeba.
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