My Garden and the Universe

David Lindsay

Description

A fact is immutable and cannot be changed, a truth might explain the reason behind a fact but is open to challenge. The red shift of ancient light is a fact. The explanation that it is caused by a Doppler Effect is a truth. Based upon a conviction that a universe which is perpetually expanding and with increasing efficiency is a perceived truth which is incompatible with the Second Law of Thermodynamics, David Lindsay has gone back to basic physics and philosophically attempted to reconcile the two truths. He has tried to keep the narrative simple (KISS) and comes to unconventional conclusions without denying the fact of astronomical observation or compromising Einstein's premise that E=mc2. Noting that one negative observation can cause a scientific truth to be re-appraised, he presents four such observations that might deny the perceived truth of a Doppler Effect causing the red-shifting of ancient light. David's interpretation of the science recognises that the universe is composed of two primary sources of energy. The potential energy of matter and the chaotic but stable energy of background electromagnetic radiation or light. Both forms of energy are seen as wedded in compliance to the Second Law and Einstein's principle that mass equals energy and thus offers an explanation (or alternative truth) for the apparent non-compliance inferred by perpetual motion. David Lindsay presents a cogent alternative reason for the red-shifting phenomenon as a new truth, which of course must be open to further challenges. The strength of the philosophical arguments presented is that the four observations are derived from four diverse sources, mathematical, observational, biological and philosophy based on accepted science. The weakness is the lack of experimentation and, until the final pages, a paucity of mathematical proof.

Sujets

• Philosophie et théologie
• Philosophy

Informations

• Publié par: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Date de parution: 31 mai 2019
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781528963572
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

My Garden and the Universe
David Lindsay
Austin Macauley Publishers
2019-05-31
My Garden and the Universe About the Author About the Book Dedication Copyright Information © Acknowledgment Introduction At Seventy-Five My Backyard The Air The Energy Field Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics Gravity Space-Time Time Light and Photons Complications Time or Distance Another Complication, Another Question Conclusions An Observation from Way out of My Depth An Evolutionary Explanation Book Two Another perspective perhaps leading not to an alternative fact, but definitely to an alternative truth. Space – A Philosophical Conundrum Presumptions Current Interpretation of the State of the Universe Rationale Behind the Interpretation Discussion Are Light and Sound Waves Truly Analogous? What Else Might Cause Light to Be Red-Shifted? The Logical Conclusion, an Alternative Truth A Revision, the Philosophy of Time Presumptions What is known or acknowledged? What are these factors and how do they operate? The Cosmic Philosopher’s Stone or Holy Grail Presumptions What is known? Discussion, a Possible Portrayal of What Might Have Been Conclusions An Afterthought, Perhaps a Proof A Little More on Strings
About the Author
David Lindsay was born in Adelaide on 12 June 1943.
He married Margie on 23 Jan 1970; he has three children, Sarah, Jodie and James; and six grandchildren, Oliver, Emily, Tom, Maggie, Eddie and Bonnie.
He was educated at Grange Primary School, Saint Peter’s College Adelaide, University of Sydney (Bachelor of Veterinary Science – 1970), RMIT University (Melbourne Post-Graduate Diploma in Animal Chiropractic – 2000).
Professionally, he is a veterinary surgeon with particular interest in physical therapies (chiropractic) of dogs and cats.
He was the National President of Australian Veterinary Association (1985-86).
David is not a mathematician, neither is he a cosmologist, a physicist, or an astro-physicist, which is strange considering the meanderings of this book.
David admits to being obsessive when it comes to identifying and attempting to correct mistakes. Which is not necessarily a bad characteristic in a physician or diagnostician, even a veterinary physician.
It has taken twenty-five years to work out a possible answer to what he sees as a mistake made by one of the world’s most famous astronomers. It has been a philosophical quest in which it has been just as difficult to find the correct questions as teasing out the answers.
About the Book
A fact is immutable and cannot be changed, a truth might explain the reason behind a fact but is open to challenge.
The red shift of ancient light is a fact. The explanation that it is caused by a Doppler Effect is a truth.
Based upon a conviction that a universe which is perpetually expanding and with increasing efficiency is a perceived truth which is incompatible with the Second Law of Thermodynamics, David Lindsay has gone back to basic physics and philosophically attempted to reconcile the two truths.

He has tried to keep the narrative simple (KISS) and comes to unconventional conclusions without denying the fact of astronomical observation or compromising Einstein’s premise that E=mc 2 . Noting that one negative observation can cause a scientific truth to be re-appraised, he presents four such observations that might deny the perceived truth of a Doppler Effect causing the red-shifting of ancient light.
David’s interpretation of the science recognises that the universe is composed of two primary sources of energy. The potential energy of matter and the chaotic but stable energy of background electromagnetic radiation or light.
Both forms of energy are seen as wedded in compliance to the Second Law and Einstein’s principle that mass equals energy and thus offers an explanation (or alternative truth) for the apparent non-compliance inferred by perpetual motion. David Lindsay presents a cogent alternative reason for the red-shifting phenomenon as a new truth, which of course must be open to further challenges.
The strength of the philosophical arguments presented is that the four observations are derived from four diverse sources, mathematical, observational, biological and philosophy based on accepted science.
The weakness is the lack of experimentation and, until the final pages, a paucity of mathematical proof.
Dedication
This book is dedicated to my grandchildren. May they all learn to question what they are told and find their own answers.
Copyright Information ©
David Lindsay (2019)
The right of David Lindsay to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with section 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.
Any person who commits any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.
A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.
ISBN 9781528963572 (ePub e-book)
www.austinmacauley.com
First Published (2019)
Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd
25 Canada Square
Canary Wharf
London
E14 5LQ
Acknowledgment
At 75 years of age, many people have influenced the way in which my thinking developed, and so I acknowledge this non-exclusive list which comes to mind.
My father, with degrees in Dentistry and Medicine (no nonsense with him), and with an almost photographic memory, at 72, won all but the big money (last question) on the television show Sale of the Century . He was intolerant of waffle and false statements.
My mother is remembered for her patience and worldly trust, and attempting to make me think artistically. It was a lost cause but, perhaps, she taught me to spin a tale.
My godmother, Jessie McDougall (nee Cooper), second president of the South Australian Women Teachers’ Association and headmistress and teacher of English and History, encouraged a lifelong interest in history. A feminist before feminism, she would push Cleopatra, Elizabeth I and the Russian empresses Elizabeth and Katherine the Great.
Teachers at St Peter’s College Adelaide included Ken Kirk (House Master and Geography), Ray Stanley (Chemistry), Harry Palmer (Physics) and Cyril Ellis who tried hard to instil Mathematics.
At university, there are quite a few. Among them, Virginia Osborne, Cliff Gallagher, Prof Emmens, Dick Dixon, Tom Hungerford, Marsh Edwards, Margaret Sabine and Bob Bain.
They combined to encourage me to note symptoms, to take verbal history, to request tests if necessary, and then come to a diagnosis and recommend treatment.
Approaching the Universe itself as a patient, that is what I have done in this book – noted the symptoms, taken the history and come to a diagnosis.
The late Alan Meade, former vice chancellor of the University of South Australia, and a client who tolerated and even encouraged my eccentric ways of thinking.
Richard Campbell helped me self-publish a short book about ‘Entropy’, which, in retrospect, contains some errors.
Ben Crossley helped me make a YouTube clip, Dr Hubble’s Mistake . It demonstrates my early suspicion that Edwin Hubble had made a mistake. It, too, contains errors but was a step on the path leading to this publication.
George Reeves, my best man, has read drafts for me and, with his neighbour Robin Hill, made valued commentary.
Thanks also goes to the production team at Austin Macauley.
Finally, there is my Margie, who has no interest in the stars, but without her near my side for 50 years, I would be less than half a person.
Introduction
My Garden and the Universe has been written for senior secondary school students as an exercise in scientific philosophy. This is a topic which I believe has become under-rated in many scientific circles.
In this age, there is a tendency for science to say, “Here is a problem, what is the answer?” Before embarking on the quest to find the answer the forgotten aspect is a consideration of a more basic question which is: “Here is a problem but why is it so?”
The failure to consider why something is a problem in science before giving an answer might well lead to assumptions about the problem which are off the mark.
Conversely, for a person such as myself working alone, a solipsist if you will, there are inherent dangers and it takes a lot of patience and research to work around the pitfalls especially when currently accepted theories are held by the scientific establishment to be the unquestionable truth with an almost religious resistance to challenge.
Sometimes we come to a hasty conclusion resulting in a ‘eureka’ moment. We shout out loud, “Here is the answer.” But on reflection, that answer falls apart because you ask once more but why is that answer so?
A major philosophical pitfall is to become convinced that you and only you are right, to believe your own words and to stop searching.
Think of the mighty Charles Darwin; he is an excellent example of what I mean.
Although well recognised as a scientist, with regard to evolutionary theory, he was not and that might have been because almost no one else had thought of the subject. After first discovering sea shells in deposits on a hill side in England which were well above sea level and then coincidentally, while on an expedition in The Beagle after dropping into the Galapagos Islands, and noticing that each island had slightly different versions of finches. Darwin basically worked on his own as a solipsist for some years. With at least these two observations in mind, he applied the scientific philosopher’s most basic tool and asked here is a problem, why is it so? From there, he worked on his solution.
Before Darwin recognised that a problem existed, absolutely everyone believed the biblical version and