Known and Unknown Limits of Space and Time - Assignment Example

Known and Unknown Limits of Space and Time Space and time hold immense importance in philosophical terms aswell as in relation to human existence. With regards to space and time, gravity is a critical force which mediates the two phenomena. The contributions made by Einstein in understanding the relation between space and time have been substantial, which is what is widely known and accepted currently. Most of his works aimed at uniting the theories of electromagnetism and gravity in order to present a simpler explanation for matter and the phenomena that it experiences in different situations. Einstein’s concept of time as the fourth dimension is of vital importance to his Theory of Relativism, which also explained the behavior of gravity. Nekoogar, Krauss, Bars, and Terning have described how time mediates our journey while covering an area of distance and as such, time is the fourth dimension (131). Einstein explained the space-time relationship through a mathematical expression that incorporated three dimensions involving space while the fourth dimension involved time and speed of light. Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, the idea of “space-time” and the concepts of Minkowski’s space and gravity helps understand the limits of space and time. However, there is more to space and time than what is currently known, which is the reason behind the initiation of ‘Cosmic Journeys’. The Cosmic Journeys aimed to explore gravity, space and time in order to understand the “limits of our Universe” (National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 46). There are indeed physical limits to space and time. As Hegel described the limit, the philosopher described ‘matter’ as being a limit in space with respect to its relation with oneself (Hegel and Miller, 44). Since human existence is characterized by presence of matter in reality, it is the limit to space as it excludes other spaces. Matter unified space and time although motion is another inter-related idea without which matter does not exist, according to the philosopher (Hegel and Miller, 44). Another Marxist philosopher named Alexander Spirkin also examined the relationship between space and time and its limits. Alexander Spirkin describes space and time as exiting in an objective realm (n.pag.). Space and time is the form of existence for matter and for the coordination of objects (Spirkin, n.pag.). In reality, all objects and matter exists with respect to a particular time and it is the only parameter which cannot be controlled. As such, a time that has passed cannot come back. The duration or the time of existence of an object is an important parameter that has existed. Spirkin has pointed out that space and time – as forms of existence – have existed throughout history and will continue to exist in the future. Time has been described as “inevitable, unrepeatable and irreversible” indicating that time has certain bounds (Sprikin, n.pag.). As such, the limit attached to time relates to its continuous nature and our lack of control over the duration and continuation of time. Hence, the most visible limits to space and time include matter as an exclusive phenomenon and time as a continuing parameter. Space and time, despite being studied by physicists, involve many peculiarities that still remain unknown to this date. One of the purposes of sending the Cosmic Journeys was to explore gravity, space and time because these three variables and parameters are important understanding the larger limits of the universe. More specifically, in terms of gravity, the exploration was aimed at finding out more about the black holes and gravitational waves. Einstein had found out that gravitational force propagates in the form of waves. Black holes have a high amount of gravitational pull around so much that even light energy cannot escape the strong forces of gravity in a black hole. But why is gravity important in understanding the limits of space and time? This is so because gravity mediates space and time. All sorts of matter in space are impacted by time while experiencing gravitational force. This is why the Cosmic Journeys were initiated to examine different types of matter and to unlock the mysteries of spatial and temporal limits not known yet. These include questions such as the phenomenon of black holes, different types of matter, and tracing the earliest light energy, and exploration of objects covering the most distance in space (National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 46). Black holes have attracted much attention from scientists and physicists due to their association with high gravitational pulls which is why it is important for understanding the limits of space and time, as well as the broader universal context. Black holes are curious due to the high amount of gravitational force surrounding its edges. As a result, light energy is trapped in its core because it cannot escape the large amount of pull. Since gravity is an important parameter in the understanding of space and time, black holes are also points of interest for scientists and physicists who want to study the behavior of gravity surrounding black holes in order to figure out its relation to velocity, space, and time. Known limits include matter and the continuation of time. The existence of matter with respect to space is a limit in itself as explained by Hegel. The continuity in time further implies perpetual continuation and infinity. Black holes are understood of being curious stars that can only be examined by observing its impact on the surrounding spatial objects. It all comes down to Einstein’s Theory of Relativism whereby gravity is a result of distortion of a given mass of matter in space and time. Hence, black holes are artifacts of space-time mass warping that create a gravitational force so large that it prevents light from escaping its core. Therefore there are still many mysteries to unlock regarding black holes in order to understand the limits of space and time beyond matter and its relation to the age of physical objects. The known limits of space and time largely relate to Einstein’s findings regarding the behavior of matter in space and time as it is impacted by gravity in different spatial situations. Works Cited Cosmic Journeys To The Edge Of Gravity, Space, And Time. 1st ed. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 1999. Web. 6 Mar. 2015. Hegel, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich, and Arnold V Miller. Hegels Philosophy Of Nature. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 2004. Print. Spirkin, Alexander. Space And Time. Marxists.org. N.p., 2015. Web. 6 Mar. 2015. Read More