Life Stages of the Universe
127
extend a spring is what force is. Any object may be lined up next to a taut string
to determine if its edge is a straight line. If the edge matches the shape of the
string, then it’s a straight line. Likewise, it may be shown by experiment that
a compressed spring, when released, is able to project a body forward, that is,
to accelerate it. This shows that the power to accelerate an object is the same
as the power in a compressed spring.
Objects at midlevel reality are subject to the laws of classical physics. Moreover, it is at this level that rigid objects first appear. Since bodies can be moved
and rotated in space, their shapes and dimensions now become comparable. It
is for that reason that in midlevel reality a square is different from a triangle.
Since an object’s mass is the amount of force needed to accelerate it by a fixed
amount, objects are also comparable with respect to their mass. Objects are
comparable because the midlevel universe possesses the physical “resources”
(for example rigidity and mobility in space) needed to make comparisons.
If the resources exist in the universe to make comparisons between two
objects and show that one is longer than the other (or has more mass than the
other), then that relationship between them is actual, and really holds. It is not
necessary for the comparison to be literally carried out: It is sufficient that the
comparison be possible in terms of the resources available in the universe. (Of
course, you won’t know which body is larger or heavier until the comparisons
have been actually made.) This claim might appear a little bit surprising, but
is true for the following reason:
Imagine two straight rods in space: Call them A and B. Let us assume that
if A were moved next to B and the two compared, it would turn out that A
is longer than B. In symbols, A > B. Actually we have not really moved A
so we don’t know as a fact that A is longer. As a guess, we might claim that B
is longer, that is, B > A. Since we have not physically made the comparison,
our guess is just as good as the contrary guess.
At this stage, there is no fact of the matter at all, and we are therefore free to
assert that our guess is the truth. However, at a later time it may happen that A
is moved alongside B, hence it is confirmed that A > B. Then our guess that
B > A is proved to be wrong. Because it is possible to move A alongside B,
we must allow that A was the longer rod all along. For otherwise, the cosmos
would allow that a given fact, A > B, is true at one time and false at a later
time. This would be an imperfection of cosmic proportions.
It is therefore reasonable to propose that there must be in the universe a
principle of non-contradiction that holds over space and time. In other words,
it is not possible to witness a particular fact in one place and time and witness
the opposite of the same fact at a different place or time.
127
extend a spring is what force is. Any object may be lined up next to a taut string
to determine if its edge is a straight line. If the edge matches the shape of the
string, then it’s a straight line. Likewise, it may be shown by experiment that
a compressed spring, when released, is able to project a body forward, that is,
to accelerate it. This shows that the power to accelerate an object is the same
as the power in a compressed spring.
Objects at midlevel reality are subject to the laws of classical physics. Moreover, it is at this level that rigid objects first appear. Since bodies can be moved
and rotated in space, their shapes and dimensions now become comparable. It
is for that reason that in midlevel reality a square is different from a triangle.
Since an object’s mass is the amount of force needed to accelerate it by a fixed
amount, objects are also comparable with respect to their mass. Objects are
comparable because the midlevel universe possesses the physical “resources”
(for example rigidity and mobility in space) needed to make comparisons.
If the resources exist in the universe to make comparisons between two
objects and show that one is longer than the other (or has more mass than the
other), then that relationship between them is actual, and really holds. It is not
necessary for the comparison to be literally carried out: It is sufficient that the
comparison be possible in terms of the resources available in the universe. (Of
course, you won’t know which body is larger or heavier until the comparisons
have been actually made.) This claim might appear a little bit surprising, but
is true for the following reason:
Imagine two straight rods in space: Call them A and B. Let us assume that
if A were moved next to B and the two compared, it would turn out that A
is longer than B. In symbols, A > B. Actually we have not really moved A
so we don’t know as a fact that A is longer. As a guess, we might claim that B
is longer, that is, B > A. Since we have not physically made the comparison,
our guess is just as good as the contrary guess.
At this stage, there is no fact of the matter at all, and we are therefore free to
assert that our guess is the truth. However, at a later time it may happen that A
is moved alongside B, hence it is confirmed that A > B. Then our guess that
B > A is proved to be wrong. Because it is possible to move A alongside B,
we must allow that A was the longer rod all along. For otherwise, the cosmos
would allow that a given fact, A > B, is true at one time and false at a later
time. This would be an imperfection of cosmic proportions.
It is therefore reasonable to propose that there must be in the universe a
principle of non-contradiction that holds over space and time. In other words,
it is not possible to witness a particular fact in one place and time and witness
the opposite of the same fact at a different place or time.