Dear Chris

Thanks for your comment. I´ve read your essay and, as I said, I deeply impressed!

''So observation is itself a functor, from a category in which the objects are quantum states and the morphisms are unitary transformations to a category in which the objects are descriptions encoded in classical information and the morphisms are formal operations defined on those descriptions.''

I see we have slightly different views. To describe a ''quantum system'' or a ''classical system'' we need to use structures like space and time. However, these structures may come with a large degree of redundancy, depending on how we conceive motion in the first place, as I have explained in my essay. So there should be a functor connecting all those semantically ambiguous states, and the outcome of physical process should not depend on how we describe it. This is where the diagram commutes in my view. And the functor that connects all the semantically ambiguous states should be built by using a criterion of ''meaning upon observation'' to fulfill the principle that ''empirical indiscernibles are physical indiscernibles'' (as Robert Spekkens put). My hope is that this would have relational physics and GR as a sub-product. But I see the process I have in mind could be greatly enhanced by first characterizing observation as a functor in the first place, as you said. I will have to think more about that.

Best regards,

Daniel

Dear Eckards

Barbour´s research on time deals exactly with the following redundancy: if eveything speed up in the universe, including clocks, we could never tell the difference. So, why not consider time an abstraction from motion instead of an invisible parameter?

This is the relational view of time, and by combining with a relational view of space, one gets a completely different mathematical and physical structure than those of absolute view of motion. So the point is that distinct conceptions of motion may lead to distinct physics, and I have argued in the essay that maybe we´re not limited to absolute or relational conceptions.

Best regards

Daniel

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  • Post #64

Dear Daniel,

The contests solicited to reveal wrong assumptions. As an engineer I know how to describe an invention. Accordingly my essay begins with a list of obvious shortcomings. Will your suggestions provide solutions to such enigma and suspected flaws?

I do not deny that Barbour's approach might be reasonable to some extent. I merely doubt that it will help for instance to overcome Einstein's tense-less view. I rather see it a step in the wrong direction. See 1364.

Best regards,

Eckard

''The contests solicited to reveal wrong assumptions. ''

As I say in the abstract, ''It is argued that there may be other ways to conceive motion and that a systematic investigation of these different conceptions may produce new physics. ''

''Will your suggestions provide solutions to such enigma and suspected flaws?''

Who knows. Everybody is speculating to some extent here.

''I rather see it a step in the wrong direction.''

Even if it is a step in the wrong direction, my conclusion remains: different conceptions of motion at the classical level may lead to distinct physics.

Best regards

Daniel

Dear Daniel

Reading your essay I could see you have the talent, mental stamina and imagination to discover new physics. The problem of understanding motion is a very interesting one. You promote Barbour's theory which I value for relegating time to an emergant status, but think the SS idea unnecessary theoretical complication. Mach's ideas are very interesting, but there are many ways to interpret them.

Starting from very different premises developed in my 2005 Beautiful Universe Theory on which I based my fqxi essay Fix Physics! . I concluded that motion is the translation of a pattern (a concept you use) in the energy and orientation of dipolar nodes making up a universal lattice. In my theory general relativity becomes very simple, but motion involvs a self-convolution of the pattern not only of the object involved but (a la Mach) the nodes making up the surrounding gravitational field, on to those of the entire universe. For example a force on matter causes the pattern to compress first, and then start moving with its length contracted, 'pushing' the external gravitational node pattern ahead as well. This combines Newtonian SR and GR notions. I attach a figure from the BU paper to explain this qualitatively.

I wish you all success, and urge you to stick close to simple physical concepts - one can easily get too abstract using clever mathematics.

VladimirAttachment #1: 2_BUFIG26.jpg

    Dear Vladmir

    Thank you so much for these encouraging comments! I have read your essay and though I must say there a lot of points of divergence between my thoughts and yours, you´ve written in a very clear and concise way. Good luck.

    Daniel

    4 days later

    After studying about 250 essays in this contest, I realize now, how can I assess the level of each submitted work. Accordingly, I rated some essays, including yours.

    Cood luck.

    Sergey Fedosin

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      • Post #69

      Thanks!

      If you do not understand why your rating dropped down. As I found ratings in the contest are calculated in the next way. Suppose your rating is [math]R_1 [/math] and [math]N_1 [/math] was the quantity of people which gave you ratings. Then you have [math]S_1=R_1 N_1 [/math] of points. After it anyone give you [math]dS [/math] of points so you have [math]S_2=S_1+ dS [/math] of points and [math]N_2=N_1+1 [/math] is the common quantity of the people which gave you ratings. At the same time you will have [math]S_2=R_2 N_2 [/math] of points. From here, if you want to be R2 > R1 there must be: [math]S_2/ N_2>S_1/ N_1 [/math] or [math] (S_1+ dS) / (N_1+1) >S_1/ N_1 [/math] or [math] dS >S_1/ N_1 =R_1[/math] In other words if you want to increase rating of anyone you must give him more points [math]dS [/math] then the participant`s rating [math]R_1 [/math] was at the moment you rated him. From here it is seen that in the contest are special rules for ratings. And from here there are misunderstanding of some participants what is happened with their ratings. Moreover since community ratings are hided some participants do not sure how increase ratings of others and gives them maximum 10 points. But in the case the scale from 1 to 10 of points do not work, and some essays are overestimated and some essays are drop down. In my opinion it is a bad problem with this Contest rating process. I hope the FQXI community will change the rating process.

      Sergey Fedosin

        Daniel

        Motion seems at the heart of misunderstanding in physics. I'm now re-reading those I've not yet scored and am pleased to say yours still stands out. You did undertake to read mine, and I hope you will as I'm very interested in your comments (and score!). Very well done for yours. I hope you find we have a rich common vein.

        Best wishes

        Peter

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          • Post #72

          Peter

          I have read your essay few days ago (and already rated it very positively). Sorry for not leaving any comments before, I was in the middle of a big hurry with university and work projects. But I will post some remarks right now.

          Daniel

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          • Post #73

          Sergey, I don´t understand that. Are you sure about this rating formula? That would mean that giving an essay 10 ratings of ''1'' and 1 rating of ''10'' would be the same thing!

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          • Post #74

          Hi Daniel and Sergey,

          (My intention of going through Daniel's essay and the discussion thread was to involve in the discussion, but I accidentally saw your question about the scores. So I thought of putting my two cents worth).

          Suppose an essay had an aggregate score of 150 from 20 ratings (average rating 7.5). Now someone gives 10. Avergage goes up to 7.62. Someone else gives 1 the average becomes 7.32. (Fluctuation 0.3)

          Another esssay has an aggregate of 45 out of 6 ratings (average 7.5), Some one gives 10, average shoots up to 7.86 Someonelse gives 1. Average 7.0.

          (Fluctuation 0.86).

          For the folk who have got a lot of ratings done already, a stray lower rating does not make their average fluctuate much. The ranking might go down a few places.

          For those with a lower number of ratings, even a single low score makes a big difference in the rankings, it can go down 30 to 40 places.

          Thus if Sergey gave 3 to everybody the effect is not uniform to all.

          The Fundamental Questions Institute must address the fundamental question of how to establish a fair, impartial and a uniform rating process.

          Solution - (1) No Prizes, that will bring down the number of essays, only those who have serious stuff will tend to enter the competition. (2) Essayists should not be allowed to rate others' essays. (3) Prohibit solicitations of mutual high scores. (4)Prize money diverted to an independent panel to select and rate essays. (5) All "shoe horned" essays not dealing with "Wrong Assumptions" per se to be rejected.

          Best regards,

          Viraj

          Dear Daniel,

          your essay the most interesting and refreshing in this contest. You introduce many new and stimulating ideas. I also very much enjoyed reading your discussion with Dr. Israel Perez and side entirely with you.

          I very much liked how you introduced the ideas about time, space and motion. I am intrigued by shape dynamics and intuitively feel that this is the right way to go. My conception is that space, energy and time are 3 aspects of one and the same, a process, with either one expressed in terms of the other two.

          Because you are so well-read on what to me appears as the avantguard in physics, I would very much value your feedback on my essay, which, thankfully, will be after the ratings, so we all can relax speak our mind without worrying about the consequences (which your honest replies indicate were never your concern). My topic is 1547.

          Again, thank you for your most stimulating and well-written essay!

            Dear Vasilyeva

            Thank you so much for your comments! I will read your essay for sure. This competition spirit here is annoying me. Hepefully we will all be able to discuss our ideas freely and without any kind of worries.

            Daniel

            12 days later

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            • Post #77

            Daniel

            Sorry I missed this response, I happened upon it because I was looking for a post by Ben Dribus.

            The 'grid' is conceptual. But, by definition, it must always underpin any relevant analysis. For example, how does one conceive of the relative shape/size (ie spatial footprint) of any given entity, or indeed a subsequent alteration thereto, without it? Where is the reference? Motion is the incremental alteration in relative spatial position.

            Paul