REALITY

SUB-INDEX

Boolean Thoughts:  A world of pure yes/no, is/is not, and here/not heres.
Numbers, Standard Units, and Ratios   Man refines the boolean universe in order to communicate.
Mathematics   Mixing nature with imagination.
Communication Tools   Naming the imaginary equations

 

BOOLEAN THOUGHTS

Before man created the concepts of descriptive words, numerical values, and mathematical techniques his thoughts may have been formulated in an animalistic boolean type format.   Let us examine what our thought patterns might involve if we think in boolean terms.

Definition of boolean: "A mathematical system originally devised for the analysis of symbolic logic in which all variables have the value of either zero or one. Widely used in digital computers." (New world dictionary)

When that same concept is applied to words, rather than numbers, then the concept refers to two totally opposite possibilities. Such as yes or no (with no maybe�s in between); or up or down, (with no angular alternatives in between).

Time and Space

In boolean terms an object is either "here" or "not here" (there).
Time is either "now" or "not now" (then).

That which is here and now is the consciousness we recognized as "me".
In boolean terms a thing is either "me" or "not me" (him/her/they or it).

Personal Existence

Every me is a unique part of "existence" which exists within it�s own unique and specific here and now. It is physically impossible for two different physical me to exist in exactly the same here and now.

Each me has the ability to organize personal thoughts about both physical and emotional relationships between me and many different they and in both the now and then.

Society

A social group is an expanded me. Because it includes many separate me components, sharing a common proximity of here and now, it is necessary that an attempt be made to harmonize the activity of the group. A system of communication must therefore be developed in order to coordinate the continued harmonious activity of the society.

Social communication required that the boolean system of comparisons be refined so that general agreement could be reached about who would do what where and when. Five tools were therefore created by man to refine the boolean system of measurements.


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UNITS, NUMBERS, RATIOS, AND DIMENSIONS

1. Numbers are Ratios

Based on a boolean system of measurement, a distance must be either exactly one standard unit, or else it is not one standard unit.   The next obvious question is, �if the distance is not equal to the standard unit, then how much greater or smaller is that distance from the standard unit. Then the boolean system is no longer adequate to satisfy our purposes of comparison.   The boolean system of comparison needed to be refined.

And so the concept of ratios and numbers was invented.   Each "number" is simply a word which represents a specific ratio between some quantity of any thought, object, or action and a pre-defined "unit" of measure for that identical type of thought, object, or action.

A series of sounds (or words) was agreed upon to be used when it was desired to compare the ratios of any group of similar objects against the size of the agreed upon unit value. The sounds included in that sequence of ratios would be named a sequence of "numbers". We currently use the sequence of sounds �one, two, three, etc� as that sequence of ratios which we call numbers.

This sequence of numbers is extremely convenient, but remains totally meaningless unless the definition of one 'unit' value for that thought, object, or action is clearly expressed or implied.   The unit value may be any form of thought, object, or action - such as one hour, one apple, or one kiss. But until that specific thought, object or action is understood, the the numbers convey no useful communication.

2. Distance

The first 'scientific' tool may have been a stick on which two different marks were placed. It was agreed that the word "distance" would be used to refer to the separation between those two marks, and that the amount of distance between the specific marks would be accepted by all as the "basic unit of distance". Whenever the tool was used to compare different amounts of space, that resultant ratio between the amount of space of current interest and the standard unit would be called a "linear dimension".

3. Time

The next tool was a mechanical device on which a moving hand would rotate. The tool was given the name "clock". Identical copies of the mechanism were provided so that the rotating hands on all the clocks were always in the same angular position during all nows and thens.

The word "time" was created to identify the location of the hand on the clock. Specific Amounts of motion of the hand of the clock were referred to as unit values of time duration, such as one minute, one hour, or one day. Any comparison of other time durations to those unit values was defined as the "dimension" of time.

To simplify communication difficulties, numbers were then assigned for various possible locations of the hands of the clock relative to the face of the clock.

4. Motion

The word "motion" was then created to enable the members of society to communicate about changes in the relative location of objects (the here and there of the me and they) when the hand of the clock moved from one position to another (between the now to then) during sequential observations of the objects.

5. Force

Society recognized that an effort was required to change the current (now) motion associated with any part of existence. The amount of effort associated with that change in motion was given the name "force". Society needed to be able to communicate about the relative amount of force, so they agreed to select the amount of effort required to lift one specific object and called that one unit of force. Any other force could then be discussed in terms of a ratio to the amount of force required to lift the pre-specified item, and that ratio was called the "dimension of force".
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MATHEMATICS

After the system of numbers had been in use for eons of time, society tended to forget that numbers are meaningless words which represent a ratio of comparison between one specific observational factor and an accepted standard unit measurement for that same identical type of "dimension".

After repeated usage, the ratios were communicated without direct reference to the type of dimension being compared. Eventually the sequence of sounds (numbers) began to take on a reality unto themselves within the minds of man.

And with that false sense of the reality of the numbers, the concept of mathematics came into existence. Mathematics is the process of working with numbers, without reference to any physical significance which those numbers (or ratios) represent.

Hence it is mathematically acceptable to manipulate numbers (addition, subtraction, etc) without any prior thought about what (if anything) the numbers being manipulated actually represent within our physical universe. The result of such manipulation is called an "equation".

Equations are often given a name, and after a name is created, there is a high probability that the name (another empty sound or symbol) will take on an imaginary reality within the mind of man.

As an example, it is currently commonly agreed that if the sound that we refer to as the standard unit value of the dimension we call length is mathematically multiplied by another such sound, then the mathematical result is one unit of a new imaginary concept we call an "area". Most of us would agree that an area is a reality of nature. But on reflection, we can realize that it is not a reality of nature - it is purely a mathematical creation of man which we have mentally accepted as a reality. However, it is physically impossible to measure an "area" - we can only imagine an area though the use of creative mathematics, and then imagine that the result is a reality of nature rather than an imaginary mathematical equation which man accepts as reality.

During the early stages of mathematics, the lack of realization that numbers are not a reality unto themselves did not create great problems because the values of interest pertained to the relationships involving a single dimension. Such as a comparison of the ratio of distances between two points in space, or the duration of times between two events in time. Those manipulations involved simple ratios of similar types of physical observations.

Mathematics Strays from Reality

However, when man began to manipulate the ratios (numbers) associated with unlike physical observations, he began to stray far from the reality of existence. For example, when man began to manipulate the dimension of space with the dimension of time, he created the concept which he named "velocity". When he began to manipulate the dimension of force with the dimension of distance and time he created the concept of "mass". Velocity and mass are not realities of nature - they are empty sounds created by man as the result of mathematical manipulation of three separate forms of reality which were previously defined by the words of space, time, and force.

But the words space, time, and force in turn are only verbal symbols for the factors of physical separation (distance) and change (time) which man can physically sense during his worldly state of existence.

Separation, force, and motion (motion is a form of change) remain the only true realities of nature. And within our physical universe, a change in any one of the three demands a corresponding change in the other two.   That is relativity in utmost simplicity. The rest is simply words and symbols created by man during his attempts to communicate about that which he is able to perceive within the physical universe.

Man has become greatly confused because he no longer recognizes the difference between the reality of nature, versus his own imagination which converts that which man can perceive into verbal and numerical symbols having no relationship to the reality of nature. Man therefore currently assumes that the mathematical value assigned to any one of these three factors is independent of the cooresponding change in both of the other two factors.


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COMMUNICATION

If we wish to communicate our thoughts about an object, we must first define what object is of current interest. Usually, we associate that object with its current location in space, and the unique physical characteristics, such as it's shape and relative distance. To accomplish that, we must first agree about standard units of measurement. We may refer to linear measurements (lengths) to quantify the amount of distance, or we may use angular measurements (degrees or radians) to define the limits of the shape of the perceived object against the medium within which it exists, or the distance between two (other) perceived objects.

If there is an ongoing change in either the appearance of a single object, or in the spatial locations between two or more objects, then we must agree on the 'time' of the event of mutual interest and on the rate of change in progress, through use of agreed on units of time duration (seconds, hours, days, etc.)

It is important to note that the only reason for the creation of dimensions and standard units of measurement for those dimensions is because we desire to communicate our thoughts. The apparent location, size, shape, and motion of any perceived point is a simple fact of personal observation. But the dimensions and standard units of measurement are not realities. They are simply tools of our own pre-agreed imagination which are useful to us for purposes of communication about that reality which we actually perceive.

It is equally important to note that the recognition of the existence, location, size, and shape which we actually perceive are possible only due to the differences which exist between that object of interest and the surrounding medium (of space) which we tend to ignore as some type of non-existence. The overall shape and size which we attribute to each specific object is derived as the result of a subconscious mental activity within our own brain about the linear dimensions which we can physically perceive.

When we carry those thoughts forward, it becomes obvious that the factors man calls "area" and "volume" are purely mathematical manipulations of the only real perceived factor which we call angular "distance", and have converted into "linear" distances by means of relative comparisons with other objects which we have already become familiar.

We may therefore imagine that we live within a world of areas, volumes, and time, but the reality is that those are all simply tools of our own imagination. The universe in which we are actually able to "see" our existence is limited to the single real dimension of angles which are themselves created within the mind of man as the result of imagining the presence of lines of sight between his own eye and the differences between perceivable objects and the unperceived medium of space. We are not actually 3 or 4 dimensional creatures - we are one dimensional creatures having vivid imaginations about a multiple dimensional reality.

This is not to deny that that we may mentally accept that imagined multiple dimensional as a reality. But that mental acceptance does not constitute an actual true reality of visual perception.

The Reality of Change Versus Imagination About Time

Man can not actually physically "see" the thing we call time. However, man can perceive ongoing changes in the appearance of specific objects, or in the relative amount of space between two or more objects.

Just as it was necessary to create the concept of the dimension of space and standard units of measurement of length in order to communicate about our thoughts pertaining to locations in space; so it was necessary to create the concept of the dimension of time and standard units of measurement of time in order for man to communicate about our thoughts pertaining to change. However, it should not be forgotten that these words and units of measurement are only communication tools, and are not a reality unto themselves.

But once the imagined dimensions and units of measurement of time are agreed upon and have been extensively used during our communications, then the imagined concepts began to be considered as a form of reality unto themselves. Within our minds, we tend to think of a foot of distance or an hour of time as something real - but it is not a true reality unto itself.

The danger is having mentally accepted a unit of a dimension as a reality unto itself is that we may then expand on that error. For example, we may mentally expand that error through use of imaginary mathematics. One such expansion, the creation of an imaginary 'area', has already been mentioned. An area is not a reality of nature - it is an imaginary creation of man. But a creation which man then assumes to be a reality.

When man multiplies one unit of length by another unit of length he advises that the result is an 'area' of space. If that same logic were used to multiply one unit of time by another unit of time, is it not logical that the result would be an 'area of time'? Science advises that three units of distance multiplied together create a 'volume' of space. Should it logically follow that three units of time multiplied together create a 'volume of time'?

When man divides one length by another length, he advises that the result is a dimensionless 'pure number'. But when man divides a unit of length by a unit of time, then the result is named 'velocity'. If that 'velocity' is then divided by a unit of time again, the result is called 'acceleration'. The words 'velocity' and 'acceleration' are not realities, they are imaginary mathematical equations. But these equations are currently accepted by man as realities.

Man is capable of perceiving change without need for the concepts of length and time, or mathematics. However a mathematical value can not be assigned to the imagined concepts called velocity and acceleration unless an associated change in both the location and time are first recognized. To imagine a value for velocity, we must first consider two separate observations to have occurred at two different times. To imagine a value for acceleration, we must first consider at least three separate observation at three different times. But of course we can not make an observation at a different time until we have first created the concept of the dimension of time and associated units of measurements for that dimension of time.

Having imagined the concepts of velocity and acceleration, these imagined concepts can then eventually be mentally accepted as realities unto themselves. We�re funny that way.

In summary, man has the capacity to physically sense change. But the concepts of time, velocity, and acceleration are simply imaginary factors created by man to enable him to communicate about the reality which he can perceive.

The Reality of Inertia Versus the Imagination of Mass

Man is able to physically perceive that it is impossible to change the current state of motion (not velocity) of of any perceivable object without some expenditure of personal effort. The word "force" was created as a dimension in order to enable us to communicate our thoughts about that effort, and imaginary units of measurement (pounds) were agreed on to enable us to quantify that dimension of force during the communication process.

The reality of the perceived force required to change the state of motion of any perceivable object is best indicated by our current word of "inertia". Inertia is the reality of nature. The dimensions of "force" and units of measurement in "pounds" are only imaginary concepts created by man during his communication process.

Unfortunately, the imaginary words force and pounds have taken on the same kind of imaginary reality within the brain of man as have the words space and time. And as a result of that imagined reality it is possible to mathematically mix all the imaginary words up and present the mix in the form of mathematical equations.

Unfortunately, that illogical mixture of imagination eventually resulted in the creation of many other imaginary words such as mass, momentum, impulse, work, energy, and pressure. These words were additive to the prior imagined words such as feet, hours, velocity and acceleration.

This mixture of imaginary words into the format of equations is currently recognized by another word which we call "physical science". Much of the information which has been provided as the result of scientific endeavors is indeed useful - just as the creation of the original words was useful for purposes of communication.

But the degree of usefulness of the words and the endeavors is dependent on a correct interpretation of the use of the words as they relate directly back to the reality of nature itself. Unfortunately, much of the current scientific effort seems to be completely divorced from the reality of nature itself. The underlying problem may the inability of many of the current theoretical scientists to separate the reality of nature with the false reality which they associate with the words which have been created to communicate about the reality of nature.

Theoretical scientists may currently be devoting great amounts of effort in the study of the imaginary words, rather than in the study of the reality of nature. Even more unfortunately, the group of scientists involved in this improperly directed activity have formed a closed society of assumed superior intellect. And that closed society is vehemently opposed to any suggestions from persons outside the closed society that the current direction of activity within the society may be in error.


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