WHY THEORETICAL PHYSICS IS BITCHIN’?
José
DEDICATION
All books on physics are
dedicated to the memory of a committed thinker, physicist, mathematician, a
very conscientious human being, a scientist, a world-class rock climber, a
skilled outdoorsman, as well my tutor, collaborator, and best friend, José.
His understanding of nature led to my ultimate understanding of it which
will hopefully, eventually someday lead to many other people’s understanding of
it too.
We can all thank José.
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WHY THEORETICAL PHYSICS IS BITCHIN’?
Modern
cultural attitudes commonly see an understanding of theoretical physics as
having nothing whatsoever to do with everyday life, being very far removed from
practical reality, an interesting subject of debate for scientific scholars at
a laboratory in some university somewhere, but useless to the common man.
Most mistakenly, modern cultural
attitudes regard any kind of meaningful understanding of the subject of modern
theoretical physics as being beyond ordinary intellectual capacity, certainly
beyond the reach of anyone lacking either rare intellectual gift, or an
extremely comprehensive background with years of science and math. Mistakenly,
attitudes may regard it being especially out of reach for a young, untrained
mind. Such cultural attitudes could not be more incorrect. Little, if
any, science and math background is really needed for understanding,
conceptually, the two theories that together comprise the core of the
theoretical model of physical reality (and ultimately all real science). And,
except for those minds soundly prepared and adequately motivated for
understanding such concepts, there is no mind more suited for understanding
theoretical physics than a young, untrained mind – one capable of ignoring
intuitive and cultural biases that might, and very likely will, find themselves
reinforced by a classical science or math background. In other words, if you
have little or no training in science or math, then you just may be more fit
for understanding theoretical physics, than someone that has been trained
(though perhaps stifled) by the classical methods by which science is taught,
traditionally. Understanding theoretical physics is that way. It’s easy for
naïve beginners. Theoretical physics can become much more difficult to
understand, in light of “conventional” training methods, that often stand to
handicap, rather than innovate, a genuine understanding of nature.
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At
its heart, understanding theoretical physics is fundamentally no more difficult
than understanding what an idea called “perpendicular” means. Though reducing
understanding theoretical physics to understanding nothing more than the simple
notion of perpendicular may certainly seem a gross oversimplification of what
is the enormous body of knowledge that this abstract subject is, at its heart,
the physical models that so accurately describe nature are no more difficult to
learn than learning the simple concept of perpendicular, because upon this
single geometric idea all other ideas can be based. Theoretical physics truly begins with the single idea of
perpendicular, and upon this single idea it begins its description, a
description that ultimately includes, however coarse, an explanation of
everything. From there, the description proceeds, ultimately combining this
single, very simple idea of perpendicular, with another single, very simple
idea: that of infinity. Though we might find it very hard to understand or even
believe that two such fundamental ideas as perpendicular and infinity could
ever lead anyone to any kind of genuinely accurate understanding of nature,
surprisingly they do – apparently as accurately as can be done!
So,
learning the most fundamental and accurate descriptions of nature that there
are (theoretical physics) is actually no more complex than understanding these
two basic ideas: perpendicular and infinity (though clearly there is much that
must ultimately be built, upon these two ideas). Appropriately, in theoretical
physics, there is a theory corresponding to each of these ideas upon which it
is based: perpendicular and infinity. Corresponding to the former,
perpendicular (specifically, linear independence), is the Theory of Relativity.
Corresponding to the latter, infinity , when combined with the former,
perpendicular, is the Theory of Quantum Mechanics. Together, these two theories
describe the two different sides of nature, gravity and energy, better than ANY
other models that have ever existed. But, they seem to apparently be
generalizations of an even deeper theory, one called String Theory. And String
Theory (again, apparently) agrees with both completely by yielding them. So, it
would logically seem that both relativity and quantum mechanics would be the
first steps to understanding this new and promising body of ideas called String
Theory; especially in light of the fact that it was these very two theories
that led to the contemplation of String Theory in the first place.
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For a young, untrained, and most
importantly, probably more open mind, one that has never been taught that his
or her intellect is not fit to understand such things, learning both relativity
and quantum mechanics, the two cornerstones of physical theory, is easiest. As
a matter of fact, understanding theoretical physics is within the grasp of anyone,
if they want to understand the nature of physical reality sincerely enough to
be willing to dismiss ideas that they might, quite unknowingly, “prefer”
embracing. This can provide opportunity to reach conclusions yielding ideas
that, if we are to believe what we observe in us and around us corresponds to
reality, is irrefutable and, most significantly, demonstrably truer than any
other ideas yet imagined by science. But, these new conclusions based upon
irrefutable and demonstrable truth has the capacity for rendering the ideas our
‘preferred’ ideas untrue, wholly contradicting these ideas, again irrefutably
and, again most significantly, demonstrably. Yet, anyone who prefers truth over
what they might prefer truth to be, as well as be willing (and able) to spend
the time reading (which, at chongonation.com, means reading in either
Spanish or English), and more importantly, spend the time to reread
repeatedly as necessary can learn the principles underlying the most proven
theoretical models. And, they can do so in terms of solid and comprehensible
concepts (that can, if it is one’s wish to do so, then be easily translated
into whatever appropriate mathematical notation that need be applied). One need
only choose to learn theoretical physics, which returns us to the initial
question – why?
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Why learn theoretical
physics? The answer is simple. If you can learn something that, with certainty,
can make you significantly “smarter” – which means having a more accurate
understanding of nature, or of anything in it – in any endeavor you may pursue,
taking only a month or two (or maybe four or five for really grasping the
concepts) to learn what people have traditionally spent years of labor and
study to understand, then you would be very “wise” to do so, if presented the
rare opportunity. In other words, the reason one should learn theoretical
physics is because, quite simply, for the first time
in human history, it is possible to
do so without spending years in the
pursuit. The website chongonation.com provides that opportunity – for
ANYONE – both the formally educated and those who are not, regardless (although
it should be emphasized that chongonation.com is most of all tying to provide
opportunity to those individuals whom would ordinarily be the most removed from
that opportunity: the poor).
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All can learn more about
nature, and about the science that describes it (not to mention learn more about the
extreme sports that you can do outdoors in nature), at
chongonation.com.
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learning is truly bitchin’.
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