source file: mills2.txt Date: Fri, 21 Mar 1997 06:19:22 -0800 Subject: Re: Science, mysticism and music From: John Starrett Hey y'all- "This isn't right. This isn't even wrong." Wolfgang Pauli, on a paper submitted by a physicist colleague: What an appropriate quote. There seem to be two main camps here, those who believe in action at a distance and those who don't. Depending on our definition of "action", rational scientific philosophies may be built incorporating either view. The case for particle exchange as the mediator of all physical interaction has been made already, I believe. While I do not believe gravitons from Mars affect us in any profound "physical" way, we are all nevertheless bound up inextricably in the geometry and dynamics of the universe. WARNING!! What follows is only an analogy! ANALOGY: WHILE NOT CONVINCED DO An individual point in a phase plane can be considered as a separate point, but as part of a flow (set of solution curves) of a differential equation this point is profoundly "influenced" by the dynamics of the flow. A small perturbation of the underlying dynamics could place our intrepid point on either side of the unstable manifold of a saddle, and its evolution under the flow would be greatly changed. Furthermore our point, let's call him Pointy (what character development!) is delicately related to all the other points in his particular solution curve, as a small perturbation to the dynamics will place him in a completely different curve. If there is more than one attractor in the system, there might be fractal basin boundaries, or even riddled basins, so that the smallest change in Pointy's position or the system dynamics could mean completely different outcomes. END ANALOGY Is this action at a distance? Not in the standard physical sense, but the percieved connection between objects and events can take many forms. Astrology used to be our best stab at physical cosmology, and although it is no longer considered science, adherents are not necessarily drooling Ricky Lake junkie trailer trash. It is human nature to experience mystical feelings, and these feelings will find expression, whether couched in the terminology of Buddhism, raga or superstring theory. There is an underlying structure in our common experience that finds eloquent expression in the works of great creative artists, like Bach, Einstein and Eckhart, and I think we are all richer for the variety of sensual and intellectual experience. When someone claims that "forces" influence us in a certain way, these effects can be measured with our best equipment or the claim interpreted in light of our best and latest paradigm, but we must be careful to define our terms and assumptions precisely so that we know we are all speaking the same language. Physicists and mathematicians tend to use very precise terminology, and when some someone uses the term "chaos" in conversation with me, I must be careful not to assume they are using it in the same sense that I would, lest we miscommunicate. I may not believe that the planets influence us, but if you do and you write a music of the spheres, I sure would give it a listen. John Starrett , Received: from ns.ezh.nl [137.174.112.59] by vbv40.ezh.nl with SMTP-OpenVMS via TCP/IP; Fri, 21 Mar 1997 19:34 +0100 Received: by ns.ezh.nl; (5.65v3.2/1.3/10May95) id AA08180; Fri, 21 Mar 1997 19:34:03 +0100 Received: from ella.mills.edu by ns (smtpxd); id XA08183 Received: from by ella.mills.edu via SMTP (940816.SGI.8.6.9/930416.SGI) id KAA11266; Fri, 21 Mar 1997 10:31:08 -0800 Date: Fri, 21 Mar 1997 10:31:08 -0800 Message-Id: <009B19B207504597.7D2D@vbv40.ezh.nl> Errors-To: madole@mills.edu Reply-To: tuning@ella.mills.edu Originator: tuning@eartha.mills.edu Sender: tuning@ella.mills.edu