Notes for "Three Roads to Quantum Gravity " (2001) by Lee Smolin
6:10 am
I made some notes using pen & paper yesterday while playing with the idea of a causal relations diagram for my Learning activities. This morning I am redoing these notes as part of this web site. |
Chapter One: "There is Nothing Outside the Universe" [p. 17 - 25]
- The following statements represent Smolin's initial definitions (assumptions, axioms):
- The universe is all there is, there is nothing outside it.
- There is nothing before the universe.
- Our explanations must only include events within the universe.
- The universe is a closed system.
| My initial reaction is that Smolin immediate rejects any multi-universe models or descriptions. |
- SPACE:
- absolute view: space exists independent of any things or relationships. (e.g. Newtonian physics)
- relationship view: the universe is an evolving network of relationships. Popular today.
- TIME
- absolute view: time exists independent of events (e.g. Newtonian physics)
- relationship view: one can only compare rates of change between events, there is no abolute standard. Popular today.
- We have only learned how to describe a quantum theoretical model of time and space as networks of relationships in the last twenty years. It is called the loop quantum gravity model and is one of the three roads described in this book.
- General relativity is a theory about fields, not things.
- A gravitational field has 3 sets of field lines, all of which are constantly changing because the relationships among events are constantly changing.
| Once again, making these notes has reinforced my understanding of this material. 6:30 am |
|
