Donald Palmer
Very important topic and ideas.
You write:
<<Nature operates as a cohesive whole.>>
Agree. The holistic paradigm, the universe as an holistic process of generation, should come to the aid of the "paradigm of the part" that dominates science.
Next you write:
<<The suggestion is to expand space to four dimensions and then we could tack time onto these four spatial dimensions –conceivably modeled as a five dimensional ‘space-time’.>>
Carlo Rovelli in the article “Physics Needs Philosophy / Philosophy Needs Physics” (2017) outlined a list of issues and topics currently being discussed in theoretical physics. It can be seen that most of the questions relate to the sphere of philosophical ontology. And this list is not complete. The first question on the list is "What is space?" Second: "What is time?".
The mathematician and philosopher Pavel Florensky left a philosophical testament to mathematicians and theoretical physicists:
“The problem of space lies at the center of world understanding in all emerging systems of thought and predetermines the composition of the entire system. With certain limitations and clarifications, one could even recognize space as a proper and primary subject of philosophy, in relation to which all other philosophical topics have to be evaluated as derivatives. And, the more closely this or that system of thought is worked out, the more definite the peculiar interpretation of space becomes as its core. We repeat: worldunderstanding is spaceunderstanding."
In order to establish the ontological status of "space" and "time", theoretical physicists must "dig" deeper into ontology to the most remote semantically distinguishable depths and develop the ideas of Whitehead's metaphysics of the process and rethink all dialectical ideas from Heraclitus to Hegel and Losev.
More than a quarter of a century ago, mathematician and philosopher Vasily Nalimov set the super-task of building a "super-unified field theory that describes both physical and semantic manifestations of the World" - the creation of a model of a "Self- Aware Universe".
Therefore, one must first determine the ontological dimension of space, and then - the gnoseological dimension. To do this, you need to "grasp" (understand) the new matter as an eternal integral process of generating more and more new meanings, forms and structures.
Here we must recall the philosophical testament of A. Einstein:
“I like to experience the universe as one harmonious whole. Every cell has life. Matter, too, has life; it is energy solidified."
The dialectics and ontology of development as an eternal holistic generating process give us a new understanding of matter and a methodology for the dialectical-ontological construction of the "the universe as one harmonious whole" model.
There are three and only three absolute forms of existence of matter (absolute states): absolute rest (linear state, Continuum) + absolute motion (vortical, circular, Discretuum) = absolute becoming (absolute wave, Dis-Continuum). What is especially important: each absolute form of the existence of matter has its own ONTOLOGICAL PATH (bivector of the absolute state). Accordingly, SPACE (absolute, ontological, existential) has three ontological dimensions and nine gnoseological dimensions. It is necessary to “dig” deeper into ontology in order to “grasp” the MetaNoumenon — ONTOLOGICAL (structural, cosmic) MEMORY, “soul of matter”, its measure. Ontological (structural, cosmic) memory is that "nothing" that holds, preserves, develops and directs matter (enteleschia, nous, Aristotelian mind, "prime mover").
That is, the Big Ontological Revolution is needed in the foundations of knowledge. Physics must move from the stage "Phenomenological physics" to the stage "Ontological physics".
A.N. Whitehead: “A precise language must await a completed metaphysical knowledge.”
John A. Wheeler: "Philosophy is too important to be left to philosophers."