Essay Abstract

I make the case that civilizations are actually expeditions in conservation laws, expeditions seeking ever more efficient ways to preserve self by "harnessing" nature, therefore the ultimate civilization will be when this "self" namely man confronts the situation that it is in fact the most authentic i.e. de facto of conservation laws. This is in the rigorous sense that the very stationary action or configuration space or "quantum" at work in nature is man himself. Now is it possible that man is his own very quantum/uncertainty? Grant it thus: after seeking perpetual motion of all ranks and failing, humanity came to the humbling Carnot conclusion that the efficiency of any system cannot be more than 1. Next phase, humanity confronts the even more humbling thesis likely in Quantum Gravity that the very efficiency (or so-called probability) 1 --the very "matter wave" at play in nature, is its own self (the prototype "life"). Third phase, there is trouble, man would rather not see himself as an uncertainty principle but instead as the entity; the "absolute" which actually steers all of nature. Therein lies his decadence--that possibility that the ship of "self" has gone mad, against the very soul of man as we know and cherish it today. This would be then the collapse or decoherence of a wavefunction. Thermodynamics probably pictures it as heat death of the universe. The point is, for any equilibrium at all as life surely is; collapse is an ever clear and present danger.

Author Bio

I think of myself as a bare-foot scientist, often lacking in formalism but often dead on point in principle. I have no good justification for this opinion of myself other than that I often try to extract predictions from my speculations, and on my own authority they do not often fail me. I like to be free to tinker and to have the resources to build my fancy. I work as a graphic artist. I hope to create life someday (on television!). I have a B.A. (hon.) in Mass Communication.

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Dear Chidi,

The name sounds like a Nigerian origin! Please kindly confirm and revert, in case it is, I am increasingly glad to see more Africa taking part in this intellectual debate!

Considering your background in Mass Communication, I am overwhelmed to read your article using Physics to advocate your reasoning. It is fantastic! In my article "STRIKING A BALANCE BETWEEN TECHNOLOGY AND ECOSYSTEM" which I employ you to read and consider rating I wrote about Newton laws, thermodynamics (first law in particular) and wave motion to present my points. I am happy to see more advances in this direction ever since. Kindly read and leave a comment. I wish you outstanding success in this forum.

God bless.

Gbenga

    Dear Gbenga,

    It is really great to see you here. And, looking at the abstract, I like the spirit in which you approach the subject. I find myself looking forward to reading your essay. You can be sure I'll be at your thread to discuss it. Wishing you all the best.

    Chidi

    Dear Michael,

    Am game! Actually looking for a sincere critique. May take a while but I am sure to be at your forum soon.

    Best regards,

    Chidi

    Thanks Chidi, Unfortunately my slim knowledge of physics doesn't equip me to understand your essay. I'm unfamiliar with most of the physical concepts, laws, and so forth that you refer to, especially in the first 5 pages or so. - Mike

    Dear Mr. Idika,

    Reading your exquisitely written essay was truly an inspirational experience and I do hope that it does well in the competition.

    I would like to leave a comment about it, and I do hope that you will not mind me doing so.

    I have been thoughtful enough to point out in my essay REALITY, ONCE, that the real Universe is unique, once. Quantum Physics is not unique.

    With high regards,

    Joe Fisher

      Dear Mr Fisher,

      Thanks for noticing my essay, but I still expect YOUR COMMENT. And I will take a look at your unique essay.

      Regards,

      Chidi

      Dear Chidi,

      Thanks for your kind comments on my essay. You take a similar approach, although you note that some resist discussing life or humanity within the physics context. I appreciate your reference to Schroedinger's "What Is Life?", one of the first applications of physical analogies to life, and with startling insight.

      You seem to be saying in your discussion of his role as 'constant' that man is the measure of all things. You apply many different concepts, from ideal gas and blackbody radiation to Markov process all of which seem to have some validity.

      I very much enjoyed your 'chimps counting' story. You use that punchline well to set up your statement that "perhaps it is time for humanity to count itself in as among the "laws" of nature." And while I have heard the "rules of the game", I was unaware that Snow applied these to thermodynamics.

      I believe your discussion of fowl, the 'agric' and the 'native' are analogous to citizens in two-class and one-class states.

      Your essay is full of analogies, allegories, and imagination, and is actually as much concerned with philosophy as physics. I agree with you and with some other essayists that science and spirituality are more converging then diverging.

      I found your essay a joy to read.

      My best regards,

      Edwin Eugene Klingman

        Dear Edwin,

        Many thanks for reading this essay. And especially for your insightful comment.

        Wishing you the best,

        Chidi

        Dear Author Chidi Idika

        Sorry because too busy should not come as earlier with your essay .

        Your article shows that you feel a lot of irrationality in science today and are looking forward to get more efficient solution, but it seems you still are not sure with a solution.

        Analysis and your argument is very interesting, I like your choice: "I like to be free to tinker and to have the resources to build my fancy" - because that would create incentives to promote evolution.

        It is true that due to the "automatic" type of my English proficiency make people feel difficult to understand, "the separation by type" that I mentioned in my article simply only means: Cats living with cats and living mice with mice , if want become as the cat or the mouse, that is depending on your choice.

        10 points for your scientific passion along with best wishes - Hải.CaoHoàng

          Dear Hai,

          You are always interesting. Of course the mouse (prey) will always want to become the cat (predator)! And thank you. Also for reading this essay and commenting.

          On the contrary to your suggestion, am very sure of a solution. Am even surprised that people are not seeing this solution I have brought!

          Too many people with solutions of their own! (lol)

          All the best,

          Chidi

          5 days later

          Dear Chidi,

          Extremely interesting essay in the spirit of Cartesian doubt and in the spirit of philosophy Pierre Teilhard de Chardin: «The true physics is that which will, one day, achieve the inclusion of man in his wholeness in a coherent picture of the world."

          Fundamental science , Mathematics and Physics are in a "crisis of representation and interpretation » (T. Romanovskaya), «crisis understanding" crisis methodological grounds . Both these sciences have long been "lost certainty". Empiricism came to its limit. Overcoming the crisis is possible if we introduce an Ontological standard of justification of Knowledge. Need a new understanding of the "Law of Nature" in the spirit of Descartes. Also need essential (ontological) justification "language of Nature" - Mathematics. I believe that we can agree with the conclusion of Alexander Zenkin in his article Science counterrevolution in mathematics : :

          «The truth should be drawn with the help of the cognitive computer visualization technology and should be presented to" an unlimited circle "of spectators in the form of color-musical cognitive images of its immanent essence.» But in order to "draw" the truth, it is necessary to understand more deeply the Cartesian "Cogito ergo sum".

          In order to more reliably steer the future of Humanity must "Great Common Cause", Great Dream, Freedom without fear, Hope, Love.

          I wish you success in the contest and research!

          It's time. We start the path. The New Era and a New Generation demanded action.

          Thank FQXi that brings together people for "brainstorming" on very important topics of modern Humanity and modern Science!

          I invite you to comment on and appreciate my essay.

          High regard,

          Vladimir

            Dear Vladimir,

            Many thanks for reading this essay, and the links are interesting. P. T. Chardin especially. It says directly about my thesis. Thanks for commenting. Yes, this "brainstorming" is useful. I expect it to get even more heated with time. I will be reading your "Protogeometer: Falling into Future" in a few days, looking forward to it.

            All the best,

            Chidi

            • [deleted]

            Chidi,

            Your game is up. I hereby denounce you as an alien being. I think the laws of this contest, like those of science (though unspecific on this matter) can be interpreted to exclude aliens. It wasn't your name that gave the deception away but your easy coherent, intuitive and almost complete understanding of nature, way ahead of what we locals call "science".

            Almost no human trained in physics could see; ..."The real problem is that science has gone full cycle to become like religion-consulting some "oracle"." But the final give-away was, in the face of your clear comprehension of how the universe works, your attempt to perpetuate the belief in spookiness and voodoo, i.e.;

            "And the even more disturbing thing is there is NO known logical alternative to the position currently held by quantum theory."

            OK, perhaps it's for good reason. Perhaps we're still too much of a danger to ourselves to be allowed to know. I dare say you're right. But just for the record, and just between you and I, I have found, so know, that there IS a logical alternative. You see we're really not ALL quite that dim. Perhaps you should go back and tell them. Can you give me any good reason why I shouldn't expose you in the meantime?

            You can verify the QM solution for yourself by reading my essay. You'll recognise it immediately. Right before our eyes was an interesting place to hide it. Of course few others will be able to 'see' or remember it even now it's exposed, as it's against their beliefs, but I'm happy to listen to your advice. Is it too early to sew the seeds, and to unify physics. Would that become too powerful and dangerous a tool for man in our present half evolved state? In 2010 I estimated we may have the vision by 2020 (see 2011 essay) but is that too early?

            Thanks in anticipation of your advice.

            Peter

            OK I'll reveal my identity as long as you promise I won't be abducted or have the standard neutering of the critical bits of my neural network.

            (Actually the lack of shoes was a bit of a giveaway too).

            Best wishes

            Peter

              Dear Peter,

              Here you are! I was pre-warned some earthling is sure to go above board; on any issue at all! By the way, realize I hid under the word "no KNOWN logical...." I had you on my to-do list any way because my radar was beeping! Beeping!! Meanwhile, I will need some shoes to hide in, don't you think?

              Bests,

              Chidi

              Hi Chidi,

              Although I thought your essay was a little wordy, I thought you made so many good points:

              "The point is that entities are "gaps" in the scheme of things"

              "nothing can serve as the unit for describing all the gamut of observables known to man quite as accurately as man himself"

              "at the most rigorous level man is its very own uncertainty/principle"

              "This selfishness seems to mark humanity out from much of the observable world; man wants not just to steer itself but the entirety of nature."

              "what is a virtual entity doing in an a science that prides itself on being falsifiable?"

              "So what happens if by some strange twist ideal man is actually the natural unit of action? My guess is that we are humbled, we will tend to want to conserve nature; for then it gets too clear and demonstrable that the first casualty in any of nature's imbalance is us."

              "Must we always want to manipulate or "steer" nature or shall we at some point learn to willingly give in to nature against our own personal (local) interest? Shall we always search for a cure to some yet incurable disease or shall we rather not cure but seek to change our life style? These are sad questions; they are not about humanity's interest per se, they are about nature as some indivisible whole i.e. some "charge conservation law". In this scheme nature determines whose ox gets gored. Or does it? Man wants to pretend that nature does not lord over him but nature does one way or the other, sooner than later."

              "Humanity does need to really technically appreciate the "self" as a valid state of nature."

              "I see a situation where the laws of nations, states and communities are organic (forecast and then endured as are weather conditions and hurricanes today. No more rain making!) Men making laws for men should be looked upon much later in our civilization with disdain. Nations will forecast (seek) their laws not make them."

              Well done, and very relevant.

              Lorraine

                Hi Lorraine,

                Its good to know you read this essay. Your comment shows that you got the gist. On that part about being wordy, can you perhaps give me an instance what exactly you mean? Helps one improve.

                You know some of us here met the English language as second even third language. That means we THINK IN our mother tongue then TRANSLATE to English (am laughing!)

                Many thanks for sharing your thoughts.

                Chidi