Physics and the Gospel

Recently I have been studying quantum and Newtonian physics. In this post I have gleaned most of my information from Brian Greene-- author of "The Elegant Universe" and "The Fabric of the Cosmos". It should be noted though that his is not the only influence nor the only source of information for my studies.





I thought this interesting though from Greene.

QUOTE

"Surely,...progress in physics, such as understanding the number of space dimensions; or progress in neuropsychology...may fill in important details, but their impact on our evaluation of life and reality would be minimal. Surely, reality is what we think it is; reality is revealed to us by our experiences"

I think this idea is congruent with the idea that we as individuals needed to come to earth to "Experience" stuff. Taking for example the experience of Gethsemane, the Christ understood intellectually what must take place.Surely the Savior understood intellectually what the event might entail, as well as what it might be like; but when the Atonement began he was "sore amazed". It was the experience that brought true reality into existence.

However Greene goes on to say:

QUOTE

"...But the insights of modern physics have persuaded me that assessing life through the lens of everyday experience is like gazing at a van Gogh through an empty Coke bottle"

So how do/should we assess life?

QUOTE

"By deepening our understanding of the true nature of physical reality, we profoundly reconfigure our sense of ourselves and our experience of the universe"

So I guess as my understanding of both quantum mechanics and general relativity develop I begin to see the massive disconnect between the two; there is no unification.

Then comes the possibility of a unifying theory in "string theory" and it's extension "M-Theory". What fascinates me is that as we peer into our physical realities and begin to understand them better, we also peer into the power and order of God. We draw closer to Him through study and faith.

In quantum mechanics we can take particles that have a shared beginning, and see that one affects the other through time and space (even at great distances) at a speed that exceeds the speed of light. Can such an observation give us insight into our relationship to the Divine, and His ability to communicate and affect us.

Is space a human abstraction or a physical entity? How close is God? Is His perceived distance an abstraction? Or is His distance closer than we believe because of dimensional simplicities?

Interesting questions to me. Will it make much of a difference in my Human experience? I don't know. But it sure reminds me of Plato's cave and the burning fire with the participant only able to see the shadows of reality. I think at times I glimpse what I would call "reality", but this life seems only to be a shadow of things past. Occasionally I learn and hear things which feel like home, things that I feel I remember.

And so I act out my part, waiting for the veil to be withdrawn, when I can then see "things as they really are".

Big UP!

Lamanite