The Fourth Dimension |
| Posted by The Masked Crusader (cschalk) on Nov 24 2009 |
Let's talk about dimensions for a minute. How many dimensions are you familiar with? We live in a 3 dimensional world. We can move up, down, left, right, back, forward, but is that all the dimensions that there are? I suggest that there are more dimensions than the standard 3 in which we live. In one segment of Carl Sagan's cosmos, he explores how a three dimensional creature would interact in a two dimensional world. He then takes the argument farther down the rabbit hole by using 3D objects to suggest the existence of a fourth dimension. Below you can watch that segment.
In this segment, Dr. Sagan makes some interesting statements. When the apple salutes the two dimensional creature, Sagan says that the 2D creature hears a voice, but cannot see the source. When the 3D creature get's annoyed, he enters the 2D world and from the 2D creature's point of view, he appears out of nowhere. These two statements about a 3D object's interaction with a 2D world sound strikingly similar to that of a religious person's description of a spiritual encounter. In the Bible it tells of the baptism of Jesus. When He is baptized, a voice is heard by the people, though the source was unknown. What if God is in the fourth, or another higher dimension and His voice came to them the same way that this apple's voice came to the 2D creature... from seemingly nowhere. Sagan specifically says that the voice comes from within. Have you ever had an experience where you heard a voice in your head that wasn't your own or you have a thought or an epiphany, perhaps also not your own? What if these anomalies are a God or another creature from the unseen world (or higher dimension) talking to or conveying a message to us?
When the happy little square is kicked into the 3D world and experiences the sensation of up, he comes to rest again on flatland and appears to his friends as if out of nowhere. When asked where this mystical dimension of "up" is, Mr. square is unable to point in that direction. The same goes for us if a God lives in a higher dimension. If He interacts with us, we will be unable to point in His direction or be able to convey to another where He is.
When I watched this, at the end was another video that has a computer voice and simple illustrations that further explain the differences of the 4th dimension. I have attached that video here as well, but you can skip it if you'd like.
Now, for years, we have had scientists and fiction writers suggest that the 4th dimension was time and that moving forward and backward in time would be characteristic of a 4D creature. If that is true, then we are also moving in the 4th dimension (time+) and then should be also able to move in the opposite direction with ease (time-). Since this is not the case, I think we can safely say that time is not a dimension. I'll talk more about time in another blog, but I suggest just as up, down, left, right, forward and backward are ways to move, that the 4th dimension is just another type of movement. Are there creatures or entities that live in the 4 dimensions? And if so, how do they move, live, or even interact with our 3D universe? Those are excellent questions, the like of which cannot be proven and are accepted by some with the principle of faith that I've already established.
Personally, I believe that there are an infinite number of dimensions in which an infinite number of creatures can move. Several scientists have tried to describe 11 dimensions, but as we are stuck in our little 3D world, it's hard to definitively say what the characteristics of the higher dimensions are. I have a 3D brain and cannot comprehend how the 4th dimension works, but I can accept that it exists. The interesting thing about Carl Sagan's demonstration on the 4th dimension that we watched a moment ago, again, can prove that God exists. How you may ask? Well, In his section, he shares his belief of the 4th dimension. He had studied dimensional science, established a hypothesis and attempted to experiment on that hypothesis in his creation of the tesseract.
So, Carl Sagan seems to have faith that the 4th dimension exists. He's done his work and attempted to prove it through scientific experiments, but cannot prove it's existence. He suggests it does and gives us his data from his experiment. You'll notice that in the video, he doesn't say anywhere "This is how it is, Believe it!' Rather, he just asks you to consider the possibilities. If a person is capable of having faith about a one subject, he is also capable of having faith in another subject. Isn't that the same thing that Religion asks us when talking about God.
The Bible and other religious texts out there do the same thing. They suggest that God exists and gives data for an experiment on their words. None of them force us into a belief system, but all invite us to believe, to have faith. Most people believe in a supreme being, though they may call Him by different names. There are many many religions out there and most of them suggest that a God exists, some suggest many gods exist. No religion or theological society forces you to believe in a certain way. We are free to believe what we may.
The 12th Article of Faith of the Church Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints says "We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege. Let them worship how, where and what they may."
I am a huge fan of Carl Sagan. He was a very good scientist and a man with an open mind. In several interviews, he talked about the impact a god would have on science. Though he labeled himself as Agnostic, he still demonstrated the ability to have faith. I think that any scientist who is looking for the laws of nature is ultimately searching for answers to questions that only God can answer. Next, we'll talk about how dimensions and the universe can coincide.
Last changed: Jul 19 2011 at 12:06 PM
BackComments
| None Found |
Add Comment