The Universe is a Unified Field of pure abstraction like Quantum Mechanics suggests through the Stern Gerlack experiment and entanglement; in other words, what we perceive as reality is a holographic illusion. I was always fascinated with the movie "The 13th Floor" were all information exists beyond Space & Time.
Was it not Chalmers that said "How does something such as immaterial as consciousness arise from something as unconscious as matter." I always asked: What is the purpose of the universe if it were not for intelligent consciousness?
Are particles made of matter or are they wave frequencies which seem not to exist unless we observe or say they exhibit objective reality not relative to the way we now perceive Space, Time and Matter. If we see consciousness all around us as the essence of everything perhaps the Universe may reveal itself.
Beyond the 4 Forces of Gravity (Newton), Electromagnetism (Faraday/Maxwell), Nuclear: Weak dealing with planetary objects (Einstein's Relativity) & Strong dealing with sub atomic particles (Quantum Mechanics) there is a 5th Force called Dark Energy and Matter which Einstein said was his biggest blunder and yet from his mistakes we are learning.
Until the proof of the Higg's Boson, Quantum Physics really didn't account for gravity as compared to Einstein's 4 Dimensional Theory of Relativity; however, relativity fails at to describe events within Black Holes and the instance of the Big Bag. Relativity postulates that nothing escapes a Black Hole, in other words, all information is lost forever. We now know feeding Black Holes become Quasars that emit tremendous energy in the form of radiation and light, so is information lost? Astronomers and Physicists will be for the first time observing our Milky Way's own Black Hole feeding on a gas cloud this summer.
The String Theory is basically a way of observing cosmic soup by bringing in Extra Dimensions and the possibility of Multiple Universes which may allow us to build a Unified Theory that will help us find answers to questions like: What is Dark Energy and Dark Matter, is Time Fundamental or are there Gravitons ... etc?
Professor Kaku is a Theoretical Physicist exploring String Theory - Enjoy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NbBjNiw4tk NOTE: This presentation was before completion of the Hadron Colider and discovery of the Higgs Boson. Back in the early 70's while attending University Majoring in Physics and Math we touched on the String Theory but did not dwell on it.
There is some 96% of the universe filled with Matter and Energy which we can't see and know nothing about, yet it's all around us. We now call it Dark Matter and Dark Energy when we once called it Nothing but Empty Space.
I've a feeling we are shortly in for an astounding revelation from Physics. Einstein admitted there was an underlying consciousness in the Quantum Universe and we are about to unlock the door to a Unified Field that may change us forever.
In Rebuttal:
Paul98 - You're right Quote:
It is not simple, and works very different than how you think things should work. The problem is that when these physicists say one thing if you don't really know what they are talking about you can end up thinking they are saying something totally different.
Answer: Why? We simply do not know and Physicist tend to lead us down Dodgson's (Lewis Carol's) Rabbit Hole and Huxley's "Brave New World".
ABWX Quote:
The future will be , well , no future , that is , absence of future
and a world that is constantly at a same moment or so , i.e ,
it is always the present with no future which mean an universe
totaly stable , of course this will happen in a distant future,
something like 10^1500 years from now....
I like your thinking questioning Time but is Time a Fundamental issue when it comes to understanding the Universe within a Unified Theory? Time is a big issue for me when we haven't heard a WHIMP from Dark Matter.
And lastly from the 1st responder VELIS quote:
I suspect this is more of a philosophical question than highly technical.
Answer: You are correct to assume this topic is philosophical considering we are not Physicists but doesn't mean Geeks do not think like a Physicist and the topic not technical.