Foundations, HH 501Foundations, HH 501Georgian Court UniversityGeorgian Court University

September 9, 2008September 9, 2008

Antares, 1000 Antares, 1000 light-years light-years away, is the 15away, is the 15thth brightest object brightest object in the skyin the sky

Barred spiral galaxyBarred spiral galaxy 200-400 billion stars200-400 billion stars 100,000 light-years across100,000 light-years across If it were 80 miles across, the solar system If it were 80 miles across, the solar system

would be less than 1/10 inch acrosswould be less than 1/10 inch across Mass- measured in Mo (unit = mass of the Mass- measured in Mo (unit = mass of the

Sun)Sun) One Mo = 2 x 10(30) kg, or 333,000 times One Mo = 2 x 10(30) kg, or 333,000 times

the Earth’s massthe Earth’s mass The Milky Way is 5.8 x 10(11) MoThe Milky Way is 5.8 x 10(11) Mo Just in the part of the cosmos the Just in the part of the cosmos the

scientists can see, there are scientists can see, there are 100 billion 100 billion galaxiesgalaxies, each containing billions of stars, each containing billions of stars

All the space, matter, and energy of the known All the space, matter, and energy of the known universe contained within a single pointuniverse contained within a single point

Birth of the universe in cosmic explosionBirth of the universe in cosmic explosion

E = mc²E = mc² 4 forces of nature 4 forces of nature unified at firstunified at first

GravityGravity- attraction of objects- attraction of objects Strong nuclear forceStrong nuclear force- holds - holds

nucleus togethernucleus together Weak nuclear forceWeak nuclear force- Radioactive - Radioactive

decaydecay ElectromagneticElectromagnetic- attraction of - attraction of

charged objects, like electrons to charged objects, like electrons to protons and atoms in moleculesprotons and atoms in molecules

Gravity splitGravity split from the other from the other forcesforces

Then the Then the strong nuclear strong nuclear force splitforce split from the electro- from the electro-

weak, releasing enormous weak, releasing enormous energy energy

Matter and energy “smoothed Matter and energy “smoothed out”out”

Photons split Photons split into matter-into matter-antimatter pairs which antimatter pairs which

immediately annihilatedimmediately annihilated ““Quark soup”- Quark soup”- quarks, quarks,

leptons, bosons, and their leptons, bosons, and their antimatter partnersantimatter partners

Quarks make up protons, Quarks make up protons, neutrons, othersneutrons, others

Leptons- electrons, Leptons- electrons, neutrinosneutrinos

Bosons- photons (light in Bosons- photons (light in particle form)particle form)

All the universe fit inside a All the universe fit inside a grapefruitgrapefruit

Temp 10(30) degrees Temp 10(30) degrees KelvinKelvin

Time 0 to 10(-43) secondsTime 0 to 10(-43) seconds All forces unified- All forces unified-

relativity and quantum relativity and quantum mechanics mechanics indistinguishableindistinguishable

Black holes formed, Black holes formed, disappeared, and formed disappeared, and formed again out of the energyagain out of the energy

Space-time curved into Space-time curved into spongy, foamlike structurespongy, foamlike structure

Era of unificationEra of unification- - physics cannot explain physics cannot explain (yet?)(yet?)

All theories of matter and All theories of matter and space lose their meaningspace lose their meaning

Further cooling and expansionFurther cooling and expansion Electro-weak force splits Electro-weak force splits

into electromagnetic and into electromagnetic and weak nuclear forceweak nuclear force

No longer enough energy to No longer enough energy to make photons split, so make photons split, so matter-antimatter particles matter-antimatter particles annihilate to form photonsannihilate to form photons

AsymmetryAsymmetry at at strong/electroweak strong/electroweak force split, so for every force split, so for every billion particles of billion particles of antimatter, a billion +1 antimatter, a billion +1 particles of matterparticles of matter

One particle of One particle of matter left for every matter left for every billion photonsbillion photons, and , and no antimatter, leading no antimatter, leading to physical universe as to physical universe as we know itwe know it

Temp now below 1 trillion degrees K, Temp now below 1 trillion degrees K, time 1 millionth of a secondtime 1 millionth of a second

Quarks become hadrons, like protons and Quarks become hadrons, like protons and neutronsneutrons

Electrons still roaming freely, scattering Electrons still roaming freely, scattering the photons- opaque soup of matter and the photons- opaque soup of matter and energyenergy

Hadron-antihadron pairs annihilate nowHadron-antihadron pairs annihilate now

One second has now passed, temp 1 billion KOne second has now passed, temp 1 billion K Electrons and positrons then annihilate with Electrons and positrons then annihilate with

further cooling- one electron in a billion survivesfurther cooling- one electron in a billion survives At 100 million K, At 100 million K, protons and neutrons form protons and neutrons form

nucleinuclei 90% hydrogen, 10% helium, also deuterium, 90% hydrogen, 10% helium, also deuterium,

tritium, lithiumtritium, lithium Two minutes have now passedTwo minutes have now passed

Particle soup- nuclei, electrons, photons- for the Particle soup- nuclei, electrons, photons- for the next 380,000 yearsnext 380,000 years

Then, Then, electrons snatched up by nucleielectrons snatched up by nuclei, , complete atoms form as temp drops below complete atoms form as temp drops below 3,000 K3,000 K

Universe Universe transparent to visible lighttransparent to visible light Photons are today’s Photons are today’s cosmic background cosmic background

radiationradiation Over the next billion years, matter gravitated Over the next billion years, matter gravitated

into galaxiesinto galaxies 100 billion of them, each with100 billion of them, each with

hundreds of billions of starshundreds of billions of stars

Larger stars have enough pressure and Larger stars have enough pressure and temperature to make heavier elementstemperature to make heavier elements

When they die and explode, these elements When they die and explode, these elements scatter across the cosmos, enriching the universescatter across the cosmos, enriching the universe

After 7 or 8 billion years of this, After 7 or 8 billion years of this, the Sun was the Sun was born born from a gas cloudfrom a gas cloud

Matter condensed and accumulated Matter condensed and accumulated from this from this cloud, forming rocky planets, asteroids, and cloud, forming rocky planets, asteroids, and cometscomets

For several hundred million years, comets and For several hundred million years, comets and other debris kept the planets’ surfaces moltenother debris kept the planets’ surfaces molten

As the amount of debris dwindled, the planets As the amount of debris dwindled, the planets cooled, and Earth ended up at the right distance cooled, and Earth ended up at the right distance from the Sun for the formation of liquid water and from the Sun for the formation of liquid water and the conditions necessary for lifethe conditions necessary for life

Greece, 6th century BCE Physis- the essential nature of all things Milesian school- “hylozoists,” or those

who think matter is alive- no distinction between spirit and matter

Heraclitus- continuous flow and change- dynamic and cyclic interplay of opposites- pairs of opposites as unity

But- Eleatic school- Divine Principle standing above gods and men- unique, invariable Being- indestructible substance

5th century BCE- atomists- atom as smallest indivisible unit of matter- indestructible building blocks- dead particles moving in the void- motion explained by “external forces which were assumed to be of spiritual origin and fundamentally different from matter”- origin of split between spirit and matter

This split persisted- Church and science dividing turf during Renaissance

Classical physics Descartes (1596-1650)- extreme formulation of spirit/matter

dualism- mind and matter- matter as dead and separate from the scientists- material world as huge machine- world can be described objectively without mentioning observer

Laplace- French mathematician “An intellect which at a given instant knew all the forces acting in

nature, and the position of all things of which the world consists- supposing the said intellect were vast enough to subject these data to analysis- would embrace in the same formula the motions of the greatest bodies in the universe and those of the slightest atoms; nothing would be uncertain for it, and the future, like the past, would be present to its eyes.”

Newton (1643-1727)- gravity- force between solid material objects moving through absolute space and time- connected with material bodies and acting instantaneously over a distance- particles created by God and therefore not subject to further analysis- universe made of particles set in motion, governed by force of gravity, and running like a machine since creation- giant cosmic machine causal and determinate “It seems probable to me that God in the beginning formed matter in

solid, massy, hard, impenetrable, movable particles, of such sizes and figures, and with such other properties, and in such proportion to space, as most conduced to the end for which he formed them; and that these primitive particles being solids, are incomparably harder than any porous bodies compounded of them; even so very hard, as never to wear or break in pieces; no ordinary power being able to divide what God himself made on in the first creation.”

“Absolute space, in its own nature, without regard to anything external, remains always similar and immovable.”

“Absolute, true, and mathematical time, of itself and by its own nature, flows uniformly, without regard to anything external.”

This worked to explain: the motion of solid and falling bodies, the motion of celestial bodies, the features of the solar system, the motion of fluids, the vibrations of elastic bodies, and thermodynamics.

Faraday and Maxwell- force fields- condition in space with the potential of producing a force Light as electromagnetic field travelling through space as waves,

like all EM waves At first- explained as mechanical stress in ether Einstein- no ether exists, the EM fields are physical entities in

their own right, can travel through empty space, and cannot be explained mechanically

Quantum physics- Quantum physics- atoms and atoms and other objects not solid other objects not solid anymoreanymore Atoms made up Atoms made up of of vast empty vast empty

spacesspaces-- if a hydrogen atom were if a hydrogen atom were the size of St. Peter’s Cathedral in the size of St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome (the biggest dome in the Rome (the biggest dome in the world), the nucleus of the atom world), the nucleus of the atom would be the size of a grain of would be the size of a grain of salt!salt!

And even these particles aren’t And even these particles aren’t solid- solid- dual nature, dual nature, wave and wave and particleparticle

At the subatomic level, matter At the subatomic level, matter does not definitely exist but has does not definitely exist but has ““tendencies to existtendencies to exist,” and ,” and atomic events have “atomic events have “tendencies tendencies to occurto occur””

And it’s not even probabilities of And it’s not even probabilities of things, but of ithings, but of interconnectionsnterconnections

Basic oneness of the universeBasic oneness of the universe No isolated “building blocks” but No isolated “building blocks” but

a web of relations a web of relations including tincluding the observer- consciousness

Relativity: four-dimensional Relativity: four-dimensional “space-time continuum”“space-time continuum” Time and space not absoluteTime and space not absolute Time relative to observer position Time relative to observer position

and flows at different rates in and flows at different rates in different parts of the universedifferent parts of the universe

Space curves around large bodiesSpace curves around large bodies

E=mc² E=mc² Mass is nothing but a form of Mass is nothing but a form of

energyenergy

Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle- position or momentum, not both

Observer affects nature of particle & experiment- consciousness integral

A particle can only be understood in terms of its interaction with the environment- not isolated but an integrated part of the whole

“Isolated material particles are abstractions, their properties being definable and observable only through their interaction with other systems.” –Niels Bohr

“One is led to a new notion of unbroken wholeness … inseparable quantum interconnectedness of the whole universe is the fundamental reality, and that relatively independently behaving parts are merely particular and contingent forms within this whole.” -David Bohm

Entanglement- interconnection over distance- Bell’s theorem, EPR

Eastern mysticism- the universe as an interconnected cosmic web

“The material object becomes… something different from what we now see, not a separate object on

the background or in the environment of the rest of nature

but an indivisible part and even in a subtle way an expression of the unity of all that we see.”

-Sri Aurobindo “Things derive their being and

nature by mutual dependence and are nothing in

themselves.” -Nagarjuna

“The external world and (the) inner world are … only two sides of the same fabric, in which the threads

of all forces and of all events, of all forms of consciousness and their

objects, are woven into an inseparable net of endless,

mutually conditioned relations.”

-Lama Anagarika Govinda

All differences and contrasts are All differences and contrasts are relative within an all-embracing relative within an all-embracing unityunity ““The fundamental idea of Buddhism is to pass beyond the world of opposites, The fundamental idea of Buddhism is to pass beyond the world of opposites,

… and to realize the spiritual world of non-distinction.” -D.T. Suzuki… and to realize the spiritual world of non-distinction.” -D.T. Suzuki Modern physicsModern physics

Particles destructible and indestructibleParticles destructible and indestructible particles colliding at high speed break apart but formparticles colliding at high speed break apart but form

more of the same particles out of the energy of the collisionmore of the same particles out of the energy of the collision Matter continuous and discontinuousMatter continuous and discontinuous Force and matter aspects of the same phenomenonForce and matter aspects of the same phenomenon Existence and non-existence of particlesExistence and non-existence of particles

Schrödinger’s CatSchrödinger’s Cat ““If we ask, for instance, whether the position of the electron remains If we ask, for instance, whether the position of the electron remains

the same, we must say ‘no’; if we ask whether the electron’s the same, we must say ‘no’; if we ask whether the electron’s position changes with time, we must say ‘no’; if we ask whether the position changes with time, we must say ‘no’; if we ask whether the electron is at rest, we must say ‘no’; if we ask whether it is in electron is at rest, we must say ‘no’; if we ask whether it is in motion, we must say ‘no.’” -J. Robert Oppenheimermotion, we must say ‘no.’” -J. Robert Oppenheimer

““It moves. It moves not./ It is far, and It is near./ It is within all this,/ It moves. It moves not./ It is far, and It is near./ It is within all this,/ And It is outside of all this.” -The And It is outside of all this.” -The UpanishadsUpanishads

““Suchness is neither that which is existence, nor that which is non-Suchness is neither that which is existence, nor that which is non-existence, nor that which is at once existence and non-existence, existence, nor that which is at once existence and non-existence, nor that which is not at once existence and non-existence” -nor that which is not at once existence and non-existence” -AshvaghoshaAshvaghosha

Modern physics- Modern physics- all space and time measurements are all space and time measurements are relativerelative, depending on the observer- , depending on the observer- no absoluteno absolute

Bell’s theorem and EPR - communication faster than lightBell’s theorem and EPR - communication faster than light ““It was taught by the Buddha, oh Monks, that… the past, the future, It was taught by the Buddha, oh Monks, that… the past, the future,

physical space,… and individuals are nothing but names, forms of physical space,… and individuals are nothing but names, forms of thought, words of common usage, merely superficial realities.”thought, words of common usage, merely superficial realities.”-Madhyamika Karika Vrtti-Madhyamika Karika Vrtti

““Be it clearly understood that space is nothing but a mode of Be it clearly understood that space is nothing but a mode of particularization and that it has no real existence of its own. particularization and that it has no real existence of its own. ……Space exists only in relation to our particularizing Space exists only in relation to our particularizing consciousnessconsciousness.“.“-Ashvaghosha-Ashvaghosha

““In this spiritual world there are In this spiritual world there are no time divisions such as the past, no time divisions such as the past, present, and futurepresent, and future; for they have contracted themselves into a ; for they have contracted themselves into a single moment of the present where life quivers in its true sense. …single moment of the present where life quivers in its true sense. …The past and the future are both rolled up in this present moment of The past and the future are both rolled up in this present moment of illumination, and this present moment is not something standing illumination, and this present moment is not something standing still with all its contents, for it ceaselessly moves on.” -D.T. Suzukistill with all its contents, for it ceaselessly moves on.” -D.T. Suzuki

““Let us forget the lapse of time; let us forget the conflict of opinions. Let us forget the lapse of time; let us forget the conflict of opinions. Let us make our appeal to the infinite, and take up our positions Let us make our appeal to the infinite, and take up our positions there. “there. “-Chuang Tzu-Chuang Tzu

Movement, flow and change- Movement, flow and change- energyenergy- as nature of the - as nature of the universeuniverse

““A wonderful philosophy of dynamism was formulated by A wonderful philosophy of dynamism was formulated by Buddha 2,500 years ago. …Impressed with the transitoriness Buddha 2,500 years ago. …Impressed with the transitoriness of objects, the ceaseless mutation and transformation of of objects, the ceaseless mutation and transformation of things, Buddha formulated a things, Buddha formulated a philosophy of change. philosophy of change. He He reduces substances, souls, monads, things to forces, reduces substances, souls, monads, things to forces, movements, sequences, and processes, and adopts a movements, sequences, and processes, and adopts a dynamic conception of reality.”dynamic conception of reality.” -S. Radhakrishnan -S. Radhakrishnan

Fundamental “restlessness” of matterFundamental “restlessness” of matter- - the smaller a the smaller a particle’s region of confinement, the faster the particle moves particle’s region of confinement, the faster the particle moves in itin it

And relativity necessary to describe nucleus b/c particles moving so And relativity necessary to describe nucleus b/c particles moving so fast, and relativity shows mass=energyfast, and relativity shows mass=energy

Energy as a Energy as a dynamic quantity associated with activity dynamic quantity associated with activity and and processes- always moving and changingprocesses- always moving and changing

A body has energy when it has the potential for activityA body has energy when it has the potential for activity Since mass is a form of energy, particles aren’t basic “stuff,” Since mass is a form of energy, particles aren’t basic “stuff,”

but bundles of but bundles of energyenergy, intrinsically dynamic, a dance of , intrinsically dynamic, a dance of energyenergy

The activity of matter is the essence of its beingThe activity of matter is the essence of its being

Particles spontaneously appear and Particles spontaneously appear and disappear from and into the voiddisappear from and into the void

““According to the (field theory of According to the (field theory of matter) a material particle such as matter) a material particle such as an an electron is merely a small domain electron is merely a small domain of the electrical field of the electrical field within which the within which the field strength assumes enormously high field strength assumes enormously high values, indicating that a comparatively values, indicating that a comparatively huge field energy huge field energy is concentrated in a is concentrated in a very small space. Such an very small space. Such an energy knotenergy knot (is) by no means clearly delineated (is) by no means clearly delineated against the remaining field.”against the remaining field.”-Hermann Weyl-Hermann Weyl

Modern theoretical physics… has put Modern theoretical physics… has put our thinking about the essence of our thinking about the essence of matter in a different context. It matter in a different context. It has has taken our gaze from the visible- the taken our gaze from the visible- the particles- to the underlying entity, particles- to the underlying entity, the fieldthe field. …. …The field exists always The field exists always and everywhere; it can never be and everywhere; it can never be removed. It is the carrier of all removed. It is the carrier of all material phenomena. It is the ‘void’ material phenomena. It is the ‘void’ … … Being and fading of particles are Being and fading of particles are merely forms of motions of the field.”merely forms of motions of the field.”-Walter Thirring-Walter Thirring

In Chinese philosophy, the idea of the field In Chinese philosophy, the idea of the field is implicit in the notion of the is implicit in the notion of the TaoTao as as

empty and formless, yet producing all empty and formless, yet producing all formsforms, but also explicit in the idea of , but also explicit in the idea of ch’i ch’i

Ch’i as a tenuous, non-perceptible form Ch’i as a tenuous, non-perceptible form of matter present throughout space, but of matter present throughout space, but

which can condense into solid objectswhich can condense into solid objects ““When the ch’i condenses, its When the ch’i condenses, its

visibility becomes apparent so that visibility becomes apparent so that there are then the shapes (of there are then the shapes (of

individual things). When it individual things). When it disperses, its visibility is no longer disperses, its visibility is no longer apparent and there are no shapes. apparent and there are no shapes.

--Chang TsaiChang Tsai ““The relationship of form and emptiness The relationship of form and emptiness

cannot be conceived as a state of mutually cannot be conceived as a state of mutually exclusive opposites, but only as exclusive opposites, but only as two two

aspects of the same realityaspects of the same reality, which co-, which co-exist and are in continual co-operation.exist and are in continual co-operation.

-Lama Govinda-Lama Govinda ““Form is emptiness, and emptiness is Form is emptiness, and emptiness is

indeed formindeed form. . Emptiness is not different Emptiness is not different from form, form is not different from from form, form is not different from

emptiness. What is form that is emptiness, emptiness. What is form that is emptiness, what is emptiness that is form. what is emptiness that is form. -Prajna-paramita-hridaya Sutra-Prajna-paramita-hridaya Sutra

““When one knows that When one knows that the Great Void is the Great Void is full of full of ch’ich’i, , one realizes that there is no one realizes that there is no such thing as nothingness. -Chang Tsaisuch thing as nothingness. -Chang Tsai

Capra, F. (1975). Capra, F. (1975). The Tao of Physics.The Tao of Physics. New New York: Collins.York: Collins.

Nair, S. Nair, S. Modern physics = eastern Modern physics = eastern mysticism?mysticism? Retrieved April 18, 2008, Retrieved April 18, 2008, fromfrom http://srijith.net/publications/ieee.shtmlhttp://srijith.net/publications/ieee.shtml

Tyson, N., & Goldsmith, D. (2004). Tyson, N., & Goldsmith, D. (2004). Origins: Fourteen Billion Years of Cosmic Origins: Fourteen Billion Years of Cosmic Evolution.Evolution. New York: W. W. Norton. New York: W. W. Norton.

Specific references available on request Specific references available on request