matsunaga introduces himself

[matsun]

Hello, I'm from Hawaii (Big Island) now on Oahu. I found the TOE website through a google link.
Why an interest in TOE? the idea of that our knowledge of the universe could emanate from a unified theory is appealing. At the same time I'm far from convinced. Actually I don't know enough to be in any particlar TOE camp. Can a TOE link quantum mechanics, general relativity, cosmology, the various phenomena of living systems, conciousness? How is it that mathematical infinities spoil perfectly good predictive systems for physical systems that we seem to understand quite well? Why does mathematics have to work at all and is mathematics good enough? Is there an system beyond math? Will string theory cut it or do we literally lack the energy to ever know? The LHC may not get very far there...
Unique perspective? Save that for later maybe
School? Lewis and Clark College, Hilo College, University of Hawaii. I studied physics then computer science, and later physical geography.
Particular Interests? Particle physics, cosmology, inflation cosmology, cosmic expansion. The arrow of time. I'm fascinated by the fact that we live in a time of huge intellectual scientific expansion, while at the same time, that we've been this particular type of monkey for only 150,000 years. I think that every generation in probably every culture since the dawn of man has had minds the equivalent in capacity of Newtons, Machs, Einsteins, but that at the same time it has been a century give or take since acquiring radio electronics technology, and computers almost entirely within my lifetime. We have the scientific instruments to resolve objects at timescales and spacial scales we can calculate but that I at least, cannot truly "image" or imagine. Intelligence is not enough. It takes knowledge, language, protocols for communication (like the scientific method), many many people and generations working together, and above all,peace, to continue to build knowledge. Why now and what now? How far will be able to see in my lifetime.
Influences? The places I lived as a child was the whole world I knew, rural Hawaii in the 50's in living memory of the queen. Nature, the ocean, the constant wind, Haleakala on Maui looming across the channel. Plantation. School. Family and culture. Several cultures. TV. Books. Technology! Church. In our community there were many religions, but regardless, the idea that the nature of reality as physical and spiritual at the same time was common, with a God or gods in control, hardly unique. Since then, my views on reality (that would be the "everything" piece of TOE) have gone through a lot of change.
You can call me Peter

[mkirkpatrick]

Thanks Peter,great introduction,what a wonderful place to grow up in,greetings from the UK to you,look forward to your further posts.




warm regards michael.

[dleviwing]

Hi Peter;
Welcome to ToeQuest;
I’ll be looking forward to your posting.

Oahu is a great place; I lived on the NorthShore in Waialua for a time; my son is still there.

[austintorn@aol.com]

Hi Peter. I attended some graduate courses at the U of H for a semester or so in the early 70's, living in the rainbows of Punahau at the time, perhaps near the Manoa valley.

Amazing how far the Human race has gotten, in some areas, in such a short time, but going nowhere in some other areas.

The journey of the TOE does as much or more, perhaps, than the not finding of it yet.

[timeparticle]

Welcome.......

I believe it all can be worked out mathematically....I also believe we really don't have enough time to solve our problems in that tedious manner. We are looking for a larger, more immediate solution through TOE, as you describe, combining many subjects, I would suspect.

TP

[matsun]

thanks for your reception. glad to be here, still looking around, hope clicking "thanks" is appropriate -P

[matsun]

so you know the word "mahalo". mahalo! re how far the human race has gotten - what is so interesting to me is huge differentials in the rates of change- like the indiginous Australians, 40,000 years of continuity, whereas much of the world, every habitable part, populated, continuous change, and now I don't know what to call this kind of explosion of interconnectedness, information, and knowledge.

mathematics .... I'm in the computer field, lots of programming and os's and continously wonder about what it means that information about the big "E" can be represented mathematically in ones and zeroes. I'm definitely not much of a math head
(sorry - i'll figure out what who I'm replying to presently...). I feel kind of dumb that the ability of mathematics to express reality is inexplicable to me. I suspect that the math is an analog for the structure of our brains, interconnectedness, symbolic structures, and as the brain is an expression of nature, the math is also an expression of nature as a product of our minds... but whether this analog extends to be able to accurately pick apart the true nature of reality - I think it does by the way - or if it simply a robust solution - ahhhhh <shrug> aloha - P

[austintorn@aol.com]

I don't know if math underlies reality: perhaps we just use it to measure it, but some formulas do seem to match pretty well.

I studied computer science, even some more at U of H. I spent 30 years at IBM, 2 of which were really in the army in Fort Shafter when I got drafted. Does anyone use PL/I were you are? Maybe I should come out of retirement.

Lived in Waikiki for a while, too, talking to everyone that walked by my back porch on the Queen's road. There is probably a hotel there now.

[matsun]

Math is the first computer, an instrument. The computer just does it faster. brain amplifiers

PL/1 ... well, probably not. Sorry I'm not familiar with that part of Waikiki - have you tried google Earth and had a look recently? wow. IBM is still around - but the beaches and coastline is going fast.

Math is what we have to measure whether our ideas work in reality. The formulas as you say, work with shocking precision. I take it at face value of normal science (since I can't do that kind of math - but there are armies of phds to do the heavy lifting that no working TOE exists to bridge the mathematical infinities encountered at the limits of quantum mechanics and relativity. It's a mystery!

[Mikal]

Hi Peter....welcome to the TOE forum...greetings from Canada and a fellow or lady wonderer of all the questions we have about the Universe, life and the meaning of life...



Smiles Mikal