Conversation 7
:
You guys stop
now. Before we get into philosophical issues, I'd like to show you a
Chart of Relationship of
Underlying Concepts, which is a summary of our
conversation for new concepts. Please note that this is only a schematic
chart, not an exact logical or causal chart.
:
Let's talk about why the research method in
Silong's paper is so simple
that it's hard to accept at first glance?
:
From
historical review of physics, Silong’s paper introduces an attempt to
discover a unifying principle that underlies and underpins both
relativity and quantum mechanics without contradiction or paradox, but
which is based purely on the need for simplicity and symmetry in the
paper. Although being preliminary, this approach is worth reviewing both
from a point of view of the physics it entails as well as the
philosophic principles it is based on. However, there is very little
literature devoted to understanding theories such as this and reviewing
in depth them.
:
That's right. Doing so will help physicists understand all the paths
that have been taken in the search for a unified principle. This paper
therefore fills that gap by exploring an overlooked approach to
unification that touches on our fundamental human desire to make
physics, the universe and our existence easily understandable, and on
the willingness of ordinary people to be able to participate in the
discussion.
The biggest thing I learned from
our conversation was that I couldn't believe how relaxed and casual we
seemed when talking about the fundamental principles
that govern the world, not at all like we were discussing something big.
It turns out that the essence of the world is much simpler than we
always thought.
:
Our knowledge, understanding and interpretation of the world or universe
all come from our existing experiences. Pure science is expressed in the
language, words and formulae that describe the common parts of our
experiences, and this description must fit our brain structure and
underlying cognitive logic. What governs the order of the universe must
be simple and compatible with human nature, and this is a belief that
human beings can never give up.
:
The
fundamental principles of physics are also the fundamental points of
philosophical theories. The demand for simplicity and symmetry in their
theoretical foundations comes not only from the instinctive logic of
human thought and cognition, but also from the very essence of nature.
Most scientists and philosophers still believe that the principles
governing the operation and evolution of the universe must be simple and
self-explanatory. The simplicity of Silong's theory has given people
a new methodological inspiration. It touches the deepest part of our
minds in understanding the world.
: Yes, the work of scientists and philosophers is
to try to explain things and laws as simply as possible, not the other
way around. The biggest advantage of Silong’s theory is that science and
engineering students can basically understand and discuss it, which is a
great thing.
I am wondering if the two principles of
Silong's
theory are so simple that I can't think of any simpler principles
underlying them in the future.
When my
sister was at college in Canada, the physics teacher used to send
Silong's paper to the students along with the assignments, asking them
to prepare answers and discussions.
:
A good theory
should be simple and logical, not complex and jerky. For a long time it
was widely believed that the less people understood scientific research,
the more advanced it was, and that they
despised
simple interpretations.
I found a paradox,
some say, dismissively, that Silong’s theory is too
simple and some others find
it difficult to understand
Silong’s theory.
Is it
simple or
profound? That's the contradiction.
:
This is also true because simple and understandable scientific research
is long gone. It seems that such research will never be found. The
exciting days of frequent new discoveries in the fundamental theories of
physics have been far away.
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By the way, when we were in school, our teachers and society encouraged
the development of young students' abilities to observe, discover,
pioneer, see the world from different perspectives, and take risks, but
when we grow up, things don't work that way.
Key
Words:
Underlying Concepts