Metaphysics & Physical Reality

I have tried to write this metaphysics page with simplicity and clarity in mind at all times. It explains (for the first time) a simple, sensible, logical solution to the problems of metaphysics - by describing reality in terms of one thing that we all commonly experience as one thing - space.

It is written in five parts;

1. A summary of the central points.

2. More detailed discussion / deduction.

3. The Error: Newton's Particles, Mathematical Metaphysics and Physics

4. The Solution to the Skepticism of Postmodern Metaphysics and Philosophy.

5. Important metaphysics quotes from Aristotle, Leibniz, Hume, Kant and Einstein.

Geoff Haselhurst
(December, 2009)

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Metaphysics: Summary
The Metaphysics of Space and Motion

1. There is only one substance - this space we all experience existing in - it is necessarily infinite, eternal and continuous - it is a wave medium. (It may have more properties - I do not know.)

2. The many material things that we see as discrete and separate 'particles' moving around in this space are really formed from wave motions of this space (space is vibrating).

3. By describing matter with a spherical in out wave structure we can understand how the particle effect forms at the wave center and also how this 'particle' is in continual two way communication with other matter waves in the space around it.

4. This simplifies metaphysics from the motion of matter particles in space and time to the wave motion of space that causes matter and time. i.e. From a metaphysics of space and time to a metaphysics of space and (wave) motion.

5. This unites Science (empirical: we all experience existing in space; Occam's razor: simplicity of only space existing) with Metaphysics (space is the unity of substance which explains causal connection).

6. By correcting the errors of both these subjects we can then solve the central problems of knowledge in physics and philosophy as a foundation for solving the central problems confronting humanity and our future survival on earth.

7. This is not just an academic discussion on metaphysics, it is physical reality - how you exist as matter in space and interact with the rest of the matter of our observable universe.

8. This is the source of truth and wisdom - both necessary for our future survival.

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Metaphysics: Discussion / Deductions

Metaphysics now has a reputation for being fanciful and ultimately empty of meaning. This is not due to the subject of metaphysics itself (as conceived by Aristotle), but rather due to the failure of philosophers / metaphysicists to solve the fundamental problem of metaphysics, i.e.

"What is the one substance that exists and causes and connects our world of many different things?"

The following quotes from Aristotle, Leibniz and Bradley explain this well.

The first philosophy (Metaphysics) is universal and is exclusively concerned with primary substance. ... And here we will have the science to study that which is just as that which is, both in its essence and in the properties which, just as a thing that is, it has. The entire preoccupation of the physicist is with things that contain within themselves a principle of movement and rest. And to seek for this is to seek for the second kind of principle, that from which comes the beginning of the change. (Aristotle, Metaphysics, 340BC)

Reality cannot be found except in One single source, because of the interconnection of all things with one another. ... I maintain also that substances, whether material or immaterial, cannot be conceived in their bare essence without any activity, activity being of the essence of substance in general. (Gottfried Leibniz, 1670)

We may agree, perhaps, to understand by Metaphysics an attempt to know reality as against mere appearance, or the study of first principles or ultimate truths, or again the effort to comprehend the universe, not simply piecemeal or by fragments, but somehow as a whole. (Bradley, 1846-1924)

A simple way to explain metaphysics is to simply drop a ball. Notice that you do not see any obvious connection between the ball and the earth - yet they are obviously connected because we see the effect of this connection, the ball moves (accelerates) towards the earth. The same argument applies to the Earth orbiting the sun, an electron in an atom, how we can see stars across the universe.
We give these connections names, e.g. light and gravity, but no one knew what these hidden causal connections were.

This is known to philosophers as Hume's Problem of Causation and Necessary Connection, but really it is common knowledge that dates back to the ancients - the Problem of the One and the Many.

It must certainly be allowed, that nature has kept us at a great distance from all her secrets, and has afforded us only the knowledge of a few superficial qualities of objects; while she conceals from us those powers and principles on which the influence of those objects entirely depends. (Hume, 1737)

When we look about us towards external objects, and consider the operation of causes, we are never able, in a single instance, to discover any power or necessary connexion; any quality, which binds the effect to the cause, and renders the one an infallible consequence of the other. (Hume, 1737)

Since we do not see the causal connection between things in space, this means that metaphysics must somehow be founded on something that we imagine. The problem here is that our minds are very good at imagining things that do not exist, e.g. dragons and particles.
This has allowed much to be published in the name of 'metaphysics' which is just imagination and has no relation to physical reality (thus exacerbating the poor reputation of metaphysics). Leibniz states this well also;

"... a distinction must be made between true and false ideas, and that too much rein must not be given to a man's imagination under pretext of its being a clear and distinct intellection." (Leibniz, 1670)

So you see the problem of metaphysics is simple and profound - we must imagine this hidden connection between things. To solve this requires true knowledge of physical reality, such that we can understand this hidden causal connection that our senses tell us must exist, yet we do not see.

In the remainder of this short essay I will show you how to solve this problem.
The easiest way is to just go back over the history and evolution of metaphysics, explain where we went astray, and then show you the correct path.

The Simple Solution to the Problem of Metaphysics

"Greek philosophy seems to begin with a preposterous fancy, with the proposition that water is the origin and mother-womb of all things.
Is it really necessary to stop there and become serious?
Yes, and for three reasons:
firstly, because the preposition does enunciate something about the origin of things;
secondly, because it does so without figure and fable;
thirdly and lastly, because it contained, although only in the chrysalis state, the idea :everything is one.
..That which drove him (Thales) to this generalization was a metaphysical dogma, which had its origin in a mystic intuition and which together with the ever renewed endeavors to express it better, we find in all philosophies - the proposition: everything is one!" (Friedrich Nietzsche)

This is an important quote, confirming this importance of one underlying substance to explain how matter is inter-connected across the universe.
Surprisingly, after such a long period of failure to solve this problem we find that we can actually deduce the solution.

Deducing Reality: Uniting Science with Metaphysics

We just had to ask; What is the Most Simple Science Theory of Reality?

Clearly the most simple solution must be founded on only one substance existing, thus we are uniting science with metaphysics. This is important to emphasise, as it is not the simplicity that is important (it is nice), but the underlying unity of substance to explain causal connection.

Given that we all experience many minds and many material objects, but always in one common space, thus to abide by science (empiricism / simplicity) we have no choice but to describe reality in terms of space.

From here it is easy to show that there is only one solution, a wave structure of matter in Space. i.e. Space is a substance with the properties of a continuously connected wave medium and matter is formed from spherical wave motions of this space (thus explaining Aristotle's property of activity / motion as being caused by the wave motion of Space).

Note: the diagram's circles are a two dimensional representation of three dimensional spheres / four dimensional spherical waves.

And I do realise that this may seem radical to people brought up with particle concepts of matter (as I was), yet physics itself tells us that matter is a large structure of space, as required by Einstein's general relativity and quantum physics.

Further we see that this solution satisfies the rules of both metaphysics and science - while also correcting their errors (giving substance to science - empiricism to metaphysics).

Science

i) Simplicity / Occam's razor: We apply this to science itself to deduce the most simple science theory of reality. This prevents us from describing reality in terms of many discrete and separate things (matter 'particles').

ii) Empirical: We all experience existing in one common space.

iii) Logical: Waves / interconnected wave patterns behave logically.

Metaphysics

i) Substance: Only one substance exists, this space we all commonly experience existing in.

ii) Causation and Necessary Connection: By describing reality in terms of only one substance, space, we can easily understand how matter's spherical in and out waves are necessarily interconnected with other matter in the space around it. This is why you can see distant stars - your body is a wave structure of the universe vibrating with all this other matter.

And hopefully it is now more clear to you this profundity of metaphysics - being central to: simplicity, unity, reality, necessary connection, causation, logic, knowledge, certainty, senses, science and truth.

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The Error: Newton's Particles and Mathematical Physics

Once we have the correct solution it is easy to see where we made the error. We just have to go back to the time of Huygens (1629-1695), Newton (1642-1727) and Leibniz (1646-1716).

History shows that we took the path of Newton and tried to describe an inter-connected reality with many discrete and separate matter 'particles'. This then required mathematical relationships to connect the matter particles in space and time - where particles have 'mass' and are connected by 'forces' as per Newton's famous law of inertia F=m. a.

Effectively Newton (and mathematical physics) replaced a metaphysics of substance with a metaphysics of mathematics, where causal connection came from mathematical logic and axioms. However, this never explained causal connection and when they finally looked for the source of this they found that mathematics itself is incomplete (see Godel). As Dyson writes;

I am acutely aware of the fact that the marriage between mathematics and physics, which was so enormously fruitful in past centuries, has recently ended in divorce. ( Freeman John Dyson, Missed Opportunities)

Newton realised this lack of causal connection in his mechanics, he writes;

It is inconceivable that inanimate brute matter should, without mediation of something else which is not matter, operate on and affect other matter without mutual contact. ... That gravity should be innate, inherent and essential to matter, so that one body may act upon another at-a-distance, through a vacuum, without the mediation of anything else by and through which their action may be conveyed from one to another, is to me so great an absurdity that I believe no man, who has in philosophical matters a competent faculty of thinking, can ever fall into it. So far I have explained the phenomena by the force of gravity, but I have not yet ascertained the cause of gravity itself. ... and I do not arbitrarily invent hypotheses. (Newton. Letter to Richard Bentley 25 Feb. 1693)

Einstein confirms this;

In Newtonian physics the elementary theoretical concept on which the theoretical description of material bodies is based is the material point, or particle. Thus matter is considered a priori to be discontinuous. This makes it necessary to consider the action of material points on one another as action-at-a-distance. Since the latter concept seems quite contrary to everyday experience, it is only natural that the contemporaries of Newton - and indeed Newton himself - found it difficult to accept. Owing to the almost miraculous success of the Newtonian system, however, the succeeding generations of physicists became used to the idea of action-at-a-distance. Any doubt was buried for a long time to come. (Albert Einstein, 1950)

This is why mathematicians now seem so skeptical of Metaphysics as they use their mathematics to connect things instead. However, this has led to the creation of many different 'particles' to explain various matter interactions, and ultimately to a very confusing and paradoxical description of physical reality. Yet Mathematical physicists seem to ignore this, almost as if mathematics exists in some magical realm beyond reality! It does not - it exists in physical reality and depends upon it for its necessary connection. (The mathematical physics page explains how it is in fact waves that are the metaphysical foundation of both mathematics and matter.)

The correct path. Well we just had to combine the ideas of Huygens (waves), Leibniz's monadology (matter and universe are one interconnected thing) and Newton's Mechanics (space). From this we can deduce the correct substance (space) and its properties (a wave medium) as a partial solution to metaphysics (space may have more properties - I do not know).

Thus we simplify Newton's metaphysics from the motion of matter particles in space and time, to the wave motion of space that causes matter and time. i.e. From a metaphysics of Space and Time to a Metaphysics of Space and (wave) Motion. In this way we unite not only space and time but also matter and energy - as one connected thing, the wave motion of space that causes matter and time.

As a side note, this quote from Newton is interesting (if only he had applied it to his mechanics!)

"Truth is ever to be found in simplicity, and not in the multiplicity and confusion of things." Isaac Newton

Matter is a large structure of the universe (not a tiny 'particle'). A spherical wave structure where the wave center 'particle' is in continual two way communication with all other matter in the observable universe due to its spherical in and out waves. Thus we can now understand very simply and sensibly how one substance space (and its wave motions) is the ultimate foundation for causal connection of both physical reality and mathematical physics.

In ending, let us return to the start and consider why a ball falls to the earth. Well the wave equations tell us that the waves travel more slowly in higher energy density space (where there is more matter). Thus the spherical in waves that travel through the earth have a slower velocity than the waves coming in from the space above. This causes the wave center to re-position towards the center of the earth. We call this gravity - but now we can understand the true causal connection in physical reality (space) that causes this gravitational attraction.

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Metaphysics: Skepticism and Postmodernism

Some of the more significant reasons for this current skepticism of metaphysics are;

1. We must imagine how things are connected together - and this has led to a lot of fanciful nonsense being written because 'metaphysics is beyond our senses'.

Solution: The spherical in out waves explain this hidden causal connection of matter that is the cause of our senses. i.e. We only see the high wave amplitude wave center, not the spherical in and out waves, and this deceived us into thinking matter was a tiny 'particle'. Thus we were blind to how these discrete 'particles' were interconnected in space and had to invent 'forces / fields'.

2. Newton / mathematical physics replaced a metaphysics of substance with a metaphysics of mathematics, then discovered that our mathematical theories did not quite work (we could not unite quantum physics with Einstein's relativity) and that mathematics itself was without foundation.

Solution: Again the logical behavior of interconnected repeating wave patterns explain the source of this mathematical logic, why this is so useful in mathematical physics, while also simply uniting these two famous physics theories.

3. These past failures of metaphysics have resulted in our postmodern world where academics are convinced we cannot correctly imagine reality. Thus all truth is cultural - socially informed constructs which are relative, evolving approximations of reality. This has led to the extremely silly and dangerous view that all truths are equal - just personal opinions really.

Solution: We all experience existing in one common space. This is a universal absolute truth. We can deduce how a spherical wave structure of matter must behave in this space and then show that this exactly matches how an electron behaves. This then explains and solves the central problems of physics. There is no opinion - this will be true for all people.

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Conclusion: Once we have the correct metaphysical foundations for describing reality it is remarkably easy to solve the central problems of metaphysics and thus also physics and philosophy by understanding how matter exists and moves about in Space in a necessarily interconnected way.