Physics and Cosmology, Common and Different - Essay Example

Beyond the Physical Introduction Physics de s the knowledge of different forms of matter including their properties and transformations. Cosmology pertains to the study of the universe; which is considered the totality of the physical things, its structure and evolution. This text aims to point out the significance of these two substantial disciplines to the understanding of the brain and mind process. Physics as a Materialistic Approach Physics basically deals with the study of matter. Being considerably broad, its breadth and depth have continuously increased with the help of technology. During its growth, physicists have discovered general laws and concepts that have explained most natural phenomena. Conservation of energy, motion, evolution, symmetry, particles, space and time were just few of its remarkable ideas. Physics, like other discipline, utilize different intellectual method. Its laws and principles were results of tedious process employing diverse methodologies. It had gone a long way practically dealing with every matter present in the view point of humanity. It had gradually improved with time; from the ancient Greek wherein people based their studies simply by observing nature, and had remain so within Aristotelian Tradition. During the 1600, a practicing physician named William Gilbert established the principle of magnetism by employing the concept of experimentation. Experimental physics deals with practical way of observing a phenomenon. It involves setting up an amplified model of the event instead of having to wait a great deal of time as nature to act on its own. Its practicality and reliability had made it popular during 17th century. Electricity and magnetism are just few of the noble discoveries that can be attributed to this method. Around 1900, the initial discovery of radiology commences the way for Bohr’s atomic theory in 1913. Quantum mechanics, discovery of fundamental particle such as neutron and neutrino, and countless experiment using particle accelerators had lead to the understanding of radioactive decay. During the 20th century, physicist like Albert Einstein and Max Planck choose principles to confine their work in seeking general principles with the usually with to aid of advance mathematics. They believe that theories are far more ingenious than any made up experiments. This has resulted to theoretical physics, of which triumph includes Maxwell’s electromagnetism and Dirac’s relativistic quantum theory. Excitement on the physical knowledge reorganization continues until 1920, when some physicist had to probe the dark mysteries of the universe, reexamining the philosophical foundation of their work. It is in this decade that quantum mechanics has been formulated. Physics on a New Paradigm The profound and rapidly growing interest in perpetual concerns and transcendent realities has somehow guide physics into a new paradigm from a past model that could have just focus on the physical. The new holographic paradigm follows the hierarchy scheme with approximately six major levels; the physical, biological, mental, subtle, causal-the perfect transcendence, ultimate-the consciousness which is the source and nature of all other levels. These sequential levels can be established by science and universal history; as approximately fifteen billion years ago we have evolved as a result of Big Bang theory--level 1, several billion years latter occurred realization of life—level 2, mankind—level 3, success towards human development and evolution—level 4, and subsequent evolution have eventually reach the point of consciousness—so far considered as level 6. Being hierarchic, it had pronounced that lower levels do not explain the higher, however further elaboration would imply that its levels mutually interpenetrate one another. Dr. B. J. Hiley, in his talk on Non-Commutative Geometry, proposed the need for radical reorganization of physic for it to address the issue on mind/matter relationship, considering classical physics with its quantum mechanics insufficient. He relates to Bohm interpretation as he tries to provide a broad context the will explain how physical-chemical-electrical properties of brain can give rise to mind process. A new way of describing quantum phenomena at the level of wave function, using Schrodinger, Dirac and the Klein-Gordon equations, was proposed by Hiley on his view on mind/matter relationship. As he assumed “By retaining this classical order (of physics), we have made it very difficult to see how physics is ever going to explain what I call the ‘ouch factor’”. This view stemmed from Bohm with his attempt to make coherent distinction between observing instrument and the quantum process then again be brought back by quantum potential. With Hiley’s encounter on G. Chew’s lecture (1960), he agreed that there’s no need to start the explanation with space-time and regard it as basic and fundamental. He had tackled non-commutative algebra and matter of coexistence. In accord to Borh (1961), he had mentioned that “It is not that we can never separate objects from the observing process, we can once the interaction has ceased. But during the interaction the individual becomes an intrinsic part of the whole process, and becomes transformed in the process”. At the end of his text, he suggested that mind and matter exist as two diverse view of a single underlying process. He has presented one aspect as the mind that involves thinking, feeling etc; having physiological function of the brain as its superficial manifestation which serves as the other perspective. With his clear example on experiencing music on both physical and conscious view, his argument, being on the general basis can be considered convincing and less arguable. Biogenetic structuralism supports this notion which “holds that mind and brain are two views of the same reality—mind is how brain experiences its own functioning, and the brain experiences its own functioning, and the brain provides the structure of mind”.(Litson) It has been concluded in “Is the Brain a Quantum Computer” that quantum mechanical processes cannot explain how brains produce thought, contrary to theorist’ (e.g. Alfino & Vitiello, 2000; Chrisley, 1997; Hameroff, 1998b; Kak, 1995; Penrose, 1994, 1997) attempt to do so. This is because temporal properties needed for neural information processing is not present in quantum effects, and that there are considerable physical obstacles to any instantiation of quantum computation. On the other hand, Penrose and Hameroff claimed that mathematics and consciousness can be amenable to computational explanation in consideration to quantum theory. In “Orch OR” model by Penrose and Hameroff, consciousness was claimed to be fundamentally dependent on the organized, non-computable wave-function reduction of coherent quantum status in neural microtubules. With its OR conjuncture, this argument have received competing ideas from other theorist and was apparently surpassed by molecular biology. Despite its defeat against neurocomputational theory, no account yet has been made claiming its improbability. Physics with Cosmology Cosmology is a discipline that aims to construct a holistic view of the universe. It deals with the study of the universe and everything within its limit. It includes large scale structure, composition, and evolution as well. Having all these interrelated, cosmology, dealing with large scale structure, has to collaborate with physics that deals with the smallest particle. For example, cosmologist must have basic knowledge on behavior of matter to determine why stars clump into galaxies. Focusing on the large scale alone will not translate how the universe evolved with the fundamental mechanism of nature and force. Peirce, an advocate of cosmology denotes that world evolution had been exaggerated dealing with the very infinite past and future. With the concept of vast chaos and nothingness and disillusioned past and a future ending in death he speaks “…in the beginning—infinitely remote—there was a chaos of unpersonalized feeling, which being without connection and regularity would properly be without existence. This feeling, sporting here and there in pure arbitrariness, would heve started the germ of a generalizing tendency. Its other sporting would be evanescent, but this would have a growing virtue. Thus the tendency to habit would be started; and from this, with the other principles of evolution, all the regularities of the universe would be evolved. At any time, however, an element of pure chance survives and will remain until the world becomes an absolutely perfect, rational, and synnetrical system where mind is at last crystallized in the infinitely distant future.” Chinese’ distinct perspective and values can be the consequent of their early cosmology; conceiving the universe as organismic and non-transcendent. Being non-dualistic, its polarity has boundaries that are not entirely exclusive, and was free from bias. Rosemont, in his remark, “If we believe that human being are, or can be, purposeful agents, we cannot simultaneously believe that they are altogether autonomous, disembodied, individual rational minds”, view the thinking subject as a physically directed agent. With these, Tu, in his Subjectivity in Liu Tsungchou’s Philosophical Anthropology, denotes that thinking involves the totality of a person without less respect to nature. Further more, Mencius points out that the bodily energy follows directions of the mind. Ancient Chinese had created and even dramatized their cosmology based on the closeness of nature and human order, making a reduced version of the universe and having architectural space as their vehicle of expression. Their distinct spatial conception had then been evident in philosophy, painting, geomacy, architecture, etc; practically affecting the way they think and act. African cosmology basically deals with disenchantment due to their hierarchical view of the universe, having gods on the top of their scheme and the lowest class of their people at the very bottom. Apparently, its injustice had created abyss affecting most aspect of the people’s lives, promoting vast slavery and racial discrimination. Physics beyond Materialism Despite what it had achieved, physics’ greatest challenged remain vague, having the answer to the existence of consciousness still veiled. Materialist may not be able to explain consciousness, much as it is impossible for non-materialist to elucidate the matter on it. As Dennett have mentioned, “I would have thought a historical perspective alone would make (the non-materialist view of consciousness) seem ludicrous; over the centuries, every other phenomenon of initial ‘supernatural’ mysteriousness has succumbed to uncontroversial explanation within… physical science”. Moreover, physics fails to define consciousness, primarily, because it entails individual world-view, which is solely based on the person per se. That it only deals with actual and generally measurable since it is not equipped for intrinsically private matter. Furthermore, it provides no foundation for the conscious sensations themselves. Whereas issues as subjective as emotion, pain, and happiness maybe correlated with brain’s physiological activity; it still remains indefinable in any physical consideration. Theorist and scientist, in their aim to explain consciousness within their concept, have received their share of critics. T. Huxley’s postulate of consciousness a mere epiphenomenon (side effect) of brain’s activity was primarily opposed by William James. Founding his argument on Darwinian evolution theory, James presumed that consciousness have gone through successful evolution in as much as its benefit towards its possessor. Weaker argument follows, stating that consciousness can be automatically generated by the brain making it functionless and thus opposing the evolutionary account. With all these, one fundamental argument is that consciousness exist in a parallel interaction with the brain, as depicted in Newton’s third law of force that if A affects B, then B will affect A. Kevin Ochsner experiment was used to illustrate the point that quantum mechanical theory works better in neuropsychology than classical approaches. He experiment denote a conditional protocol that can pertain to cognitive concepts, however had not imply how psychological realities of knowing, understanding, and feeling arise from the realm classical physics Despite the considerable effort to explain consciousness in the materialist concept still the fact that it remained unmoved. To date, this quest had even been exist as some medieval philosophers had claimed that any physical object comprise a union of forming idea and matter. Of these includes Thomas Aquinas with his thought that primary matter can not be considered existing if not for the form given to it and John Duns Scotus on his view that ides are created things in nature. With their religious foundation, the have manage to create such creative yield of metaphysical ideas. Their stance opens a great possibility for philosophy to aid towards the understanding of human nature. With its logically convincing perspective and rational accounts, these philosophies can be filtered and applied, much more be incorporated to the modern scientific world view. Mind and Matter Throughout man’s history, mind and matter has been subject of deep debate as arguments arise on the conflicting views on nature and consciousness. Materialist claim that all existence is accounted to physics. This applies to any size, may it be on a particle or galaxy level. With quantum randomness, everything firmly results from nothing else but the action of the laws of physics. This automatically disposes any alternative account such as “human mind”, which is nonetheless considered as a physical function of the brain. Materialism deals with systemic behaviors like neuron firings in the brain, electron flow in the computers; following special set of rules within their perspective. It strictly adheres with its principles having unified description of nature and existence by denying anything diverse to it; the mental phenomena in particular. Some materialist inspired theories such as functionalism, emergence and supervenience have failed to explain the manifestation of mind in a physical system. Having a complete analysis on these theories, Foster concluded that authentic mental phenomena cannot be extracted from brain behavior whose causative and ontological basis is purely physical. Nominalism and realism are two major views regarding nature. The first one implies that the observed regularities are the fundamental reality per se and there is nothing underlying it. This sacrifices our understanding of nature denying further query; making the latter view more convincing with the implication that nature’s behavior and regularities have a basis which is its own real and substantial principles. Science can be inconsistent, claiming to be nominalist with its firm description on laws of nature then reverting to realism as it seeks for underlying reasons, realizing that enlightenment is its main reason for existence. With that, to discriminate mind versus matter, deterministic materialism must be based on realist notion of the law of nature. Peter Bussey on his account beyond materialism, had state such strong point that “The interaction of mind with matter, then, is no longer something exotic: the whole universe operates on its basis!” In accordance with this view, Stephen Kosslyn, agreed on the matter that There are, of course, plenty of things we dont know about whats happening in the brain, but there is plenty we do know that has allowed us to explain certain phenomena. I see no reason to think that other phenomena will not be understood in the same way. Conclusion Along the course of history, attempt to collaborate materialistic approach to theology may have generate a great deal of conflict between philosophy and physics. But being open about their possible coordination may lead to a far more organized understanding of the issue between mind and matter. Despite the claim that the demystifying research is problematical or the unveiling of the workings of the mind is psychologically disturbing, the quest towards enlightenment on the matter should not stop there. Although indications of the conscious aspect of the mind still remains tentative, the fact that it is believed to have exist and as much as it retains its connection to physics can be considered one great achievement of both natural science and humanity. Cosmology affects people’s mind in such great extent that it eventually manage to affect their total humanity. This can be proven in the account on Chinese and African cosmology. With its success, physics had let materialism dominate man’s perspective. Having mathematics to serve its explanations and experiments to prove it, it had managed to elucidate us on subjects that were once incomprehensible. But still some questions remain to man, of which physics have yet to demonstrate. That keeps man on his continuous journey, looking for other options, relating diverse disciplines, seeking for the answer on his existence, for his existence. Its growth has brought fundamental changes in ideas about the material world, as well as transformation of the society. References: Litt, A., Eliasmith, C., Kroon, F.W., Weinstein, S., Thagard, P. (2006). Is the Brain a Quantum Computer? Cognitive Science, 593-603 Bussey, P. J. (2003). Beyond Materialism: From Medieval Scholars to Quantum Physics. S & CB, 16, 157-178 Geaney, J. (2000). Chinese Cosmology and Recent Studies in Confucian Ethics Bulangalire, Majagira. The Consequences of the Enlightenment—A point of view from the churches of African Expression in France Hiley, B. J. Non-commutative Geometry, the Bohm Interpretation and the Mind-Matter Relationship Gough, W.C., Shacklett, R.L. (1993) Physics, Parapyschology and Religion and Physical Research. The Journal of Religion and Physical Research vol.16, no.3 Liston, D.D. 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