Universe in the Plural |
| Posted by The Masked Crusader (cschalk) on Jan 21 2010 |
Now that we can think about higher dimensions, I'd like to apply that thought to the Universe. Using our technology, we are able to see approximately 13.7 Billion light years out into the space. The American Museum of Natural History recently released a video on YouTube that depicts a voyage from earth to the farthest reaches of the known universe. The distances and locations of specified objects is accurate according to our technological understanding today. Take a look:
I love how at the end of the voyage out (at time mark 3:35), they show the known universe as a bounded sphere. You'll also notice the vast areas of space depicted as empty where we have yet to see. This void is caused by the interference caused by our own galaxy. Now let's think about what is beyond the that sphere of universe in our own 3rd dimensional space. What could be beyond its surface?
Before I start discussing this point, I want to make an observation. Earth is the center of any map of the known universe because it is merely the vantage point from which we look out upon the cosmos. We are daft to think we are the center of the universe. What if we are on the very edge and it is merely 13.7 billion light years to the center? Then the actual size of the universe could conceivably be double (or more) the size of the known universe. But I digress.
Some scientists say that the Universe is infinite and expands eternally in every direction. Others postulate that it may have a boundary whereat gravity ceases to function which, when we reach this boundary, the universe will also cease to expand, but will begin to contract to a future cataclysmic event affectionately called the Big Crunch. Yet other Scientists postulate that the universe is both infinite and bounded or finite and unbounded, both stating that if you traveled for a certain distance in one direction, that you would eventually return to your starting place even though you never changed your trajectory. This suggests that space is curved, perhaps like a cosmic globe or sphere, which, conveniently, is represented in the video above.
Let's assume the third and go from there for this paragraph. Our universe exists inside a bounded sphere that has no beginning and no end. If you create a beginning, you'll have inadvertently created an end. Just like the Galaxy in Men in Black is represented within a marble or jewel, so let's view our universe inside a similar marble. Beyond the bounds of our universe can conceivably be other universes of similar configuration - Bounded expanses of eternity. Just as the picture depicts, many of these universes can exist on the same plane in the same 3D space if their bounds are beyond each other's. If you have many of these types of universes, then you can have unlimited universes occupy the vast expanses of existence. If this is true, then there is no need for the 4th dimension.
Now, let's consider the second postulation above: that the universe has a limit that, when reached, gravity fails and expansion ceases. When expansion ceases, then the tides shift and we begin to contract, as the gravitational forces all fall onto themselves and we travel towards the Big Crunch. Let me start by saying my college education is in Computer Science and not in Physics, but that being said, I do understand some physics and math. Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation states that there is a gravitational force between any two objects regardless of the distance between the two objects. The actual equation is:
Where:
- F is the gravitational force between the two items
- G is the Gravitational Constant
- m1 and m2 are the masses of object 1 and object 2, respectively
- r is the distance between the two objects.
You'll notice that, according to the equation, there is a gravitational force between any two objects no matter their size or their distance from each other, thus everything in the universe is interconnected with everything else, if only by gravitational force. As this is a Law, it suggests that there is no limit to the force of gravity, thus there is no limit to how far an object can be from another, even if it is infinitely large. According to this equation, there is a force of gravity between me and a supernova remnant 13 billion light years away. If my mass remains constant, and the remnant's mass also remains constant, and we drift apart even farther, the gravitational force between our two objects can decrease to an infinitely small force, but it can never cease to exist. According to this law, I suggest that there is no distance at which gravitational forces ceases to exist and that there will not ever be a reversal of the universe's expansion and no big crunch. Therefore, our universe will continue to expand in all directions for eternity. This turns posit number 2 into posit number 1 from above, that there is no bound at which expansion ceases and thus we expand for eternity.
(on a side note, if you looked up Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation in Wikipedia, it states that Newton himself had a reservation for his law. One which was answered by Einstein's theory of General Relativity which states that gravitation is an attribute of curved spacetime, thus reinforcing the infinite and bounded argument above.)
This then negates the postulation that multiple universes can exist in a single 3D space. If our universe is the only one in our 3D space, then we can apply the thoughts from the previous post that there are spaces of higher dimensions, and just as an infinite stack of 2D spaces can exist in a single 3D space, so an infinite number of 3D spaces can exist in a single 4D space. Finally, this means if only one universe can occupy a single 3D space, then an infinite number of universes can exist in a single 4D space. Again, we can also state with the same amount of certainty that there exists a 5D space in which an infinite number of 4D spaces can exist, thus infinity becomes more of a reality than merely a concept within our Three Dimensional space which we occupy.
So, how does this affect my argument that science proves that God exists? It is generally accepted that God, the Almighty, is the God of the universe. The first great commandment given by God himself to Moses and restated by the Christ is that "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me" (Exodus 20:3 cf. Matthew 22:37). God is the god of the universe. He is the master of all creation. The argument that there can be multiple, if not infinite, universes suggests that there can be as many gods, each the master of their own universe. The apostle Paul taught in Acts 17:27-28 that we are "the offspring of God." We are His children. If this is true, which I believe it is, we can become like God or even become gods ourselves. Just as the offspring of a cat becomes a cat, the offspring of a God can become a god as well. I'll let you ponder this suggestion as we dive into Intelligent Life in the Universe in my next post.
Last changed: Apr 27 2010 at 11:41 AM
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