FOREWORD
When Einstein was formulating his theories of Special and General Relativity only just over 100 years ago, the Milky Way galaxy was all mankind knew about the universe. To an earthly observer it was the universe. Aided by improvements in technology and the unrelenting endeavours of scientists and physicists specialising in the field, in the comparatively short period of time since then we have witnessed a veritable explosion in knowledge about the universe we inhabit, which we now know to consist of billions of galaxies, each themselves consisting of billions of stars.
Our knowledge of the very small components of matter has also been considerably enhanced, in particular by the counterintuitive world of quantum mechanics and other theoretical constructs such as string theory. We are also now aware that matter – the things we can perceive, such as galaxies, stars and ourselves– accounts for less than 5% of the universe as a whole, the remainder consisting of mysterious entities described as dark matter (about 25%) and dark energy (the remaining 70%), the latter of which appears to be instrumental in driving the expansion of the universe and its visible components apart at break-neck speed.
Ever since Copernicus formulated his heliocentric construct of the universe in the sixteenth century, placing the sun rather than the earth at the centre of things, the earth has continued to diminish in status and significance as regards its hierarchical position in the cosmos. Once considered to be at the very centre of things with all heavenly bodies revolving around it, we have now come to realise that our planet is only a tiny speck in the cosmos orbiting an average star in the suburbs of an otherwise unremarkable galaxy. Like every other thing composed of matter, it has a finite existence limited by the life cycle of our sun which is presently about half way through its life span. In the process, mankind’s status as the finest of God’s creations has also been cast by the wayside and shifted from his or her hitherto privileged position centre stage in the universe we know.
Mankind/humankind/personkind is now recognised as being but one of numerous forms of life on earth, none more special than any other. However, given its inquisitive nature, mankind’s great contribution is being able to observe and to understand, at least to some degree, the processes which brought the universe into being in its present shape and form.
What follows is an attempt on my part to understand the principles underlying contemporary interpretations as to how the universe came into being, and how it functions, or appears to function. I have no particular, or indeed any, qualifications in astronomy, physics (theoretical or otherwise) or any of their related disciplines. However, I have had a general interest in this subject for many years, and it was the publications of Brian Greene, in particular the Elegant Universe and the Fabric of the Cosmos, which were instrumental in influencing me to consider the matter more deeply and to record what I had read in some form of coherent order. Otherwise, the overwhelming bulk of what I have read would by now have evaporated into the ether.
In formulating this narrative I have read a great many books and articles, attended a number of exhibitions and courses and consulted various audio-visual aids. I have incorporated these into my narrative and amended them as it has suited my purpose to produce a commentary which is I hope comprehensible and informative. In this regard I can only reproduce - again - one of the opening paragraphs of Ibn Warraq’s magisterial tome Why I am not a Muslim as equally applicable to my cause:
When Einstein was formulating his theories of Special and General Relativity only just over 100 years ago, the Milky Way galaxy was all mankind knew about the universe. To an earthly observer it was the universe. Aided by improvements in technology and the unrelenting endeavours of scientists and physicists specialising in the field, in the comparatively short period of time since then we have witnessed a veritable explosion in knowledge about the universe we inhabit, which we now know to consist of billions of galaxies, each themselves consisting of billions of stars.
Our knowledge of the very small components of matter has also been considerably enhanced, in particular by the counterintuitive world of quantum mechanics and other theoretical constructs such as string theory. We are also now aware that matter – the things we can perceive, such as galaxies, stars and ourselves– accounts for less than 5% of the universe as a whole, the remainder consisting of mysterious entities described as dark matter (about 25%) and dark energy (the remaining 70%), the latter of which appears to be instrumental in driving the expansion of the universe and its visible components apart at break-neck speed.
Ever since Copernicus formulated his heliocentric construct of the universe in the sixteenth century, placing the sun rather than the earth at the centre of things, the earth has continued to diminish in status and significance as regards its hierarchical position in the cosmos. Once considered to be at the very centre of things with all heavenly bodies revolving around it, we have now come to realise that our planet is only a tiny speck in the cosmos orbiting an average star in the suburbs of an otherwise unremarkable galaxy. Like every other thing composed of matter, it has a finite existence limited by the life cycle of our sun which is presently about half way through its life span. In the process, mankind’s status as the finest of God’s creations has also been cast by the wayside and shifted from his or her hitherto privileged position centre stage in the universe we know.
Mankind/humankind/personkind is now recognised as being but one of numerous forms of life on earth, none more special than any other. However, given its inquisitive nature, mankind’s great contribution is being able to observe and to understand, at least to some degree, the processes which brought the universe into being in its present shape and form.
What follows is an attempt on my part to understand the principles underlying contemporary interpretations as to how the universe came into being, and how it functions, or appears to function. I have no particular, or indeed any, qualifications in astronomy, physics (theoretical or otherwise) or any of their related disciplines. However, I have had a general interest in this subject for many years, and it was the publications of Brian Greene, in particular the Elegant Universe and the Fabric of the Cosmos, which were instrumental in influencing me to consider the matter more deeply and to record what I had read in some form of coherent order. Otherwise, the overwhelming bulk of what I have read would by now have evaporated into the ether.
In formulating this narrative I have read a great many books and articles, attended a number of exhibitions and courses and consulted various audio-visual aids. I have incorporated these into my narrative and amended them as it has suited my purpose to produce a commentary which is I hope comprehensible and informative. In this regard I can only reproduce - again - one of the opening paragraphs of Ibn Warraq’s magisterial tome Why I am not a Muslim as equally applicable to my cause:
I am not a scholar or a specialist (in this field). I certainly do not lay claim to originality; I lean heavily on the works of real scholars. I present to the reader in (hopefully) a more digestible form what I have culled from their works. I have quoted extensively. And where I have not quoted, I have paraphrased, all with the proper acknowledgments in the notes and bibliography. There is hardly an image or a thought that I can claim to be my own creation. If some critic were to dub this work “an extended annotated bibliography” I would not be offended [1].
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I have not necessarily been shy about repeating direct citations from the texts otherwise than in quotation marks, but have reproduced them more or less as they appear in the original author’s language and have always acknowledged my sources. The text is pitched at the level of the layperson, of which I indeed am one. I have kept equations to a minimum - mainly because I do not understand complex ones - and only then in simplified form as an aid to understanding.
In short, what I have attempted to do is to present in an organised and systematic fashion an amalgam drawn from the sources I have read, watched and seen, more-or-less as an aide memoire for my own benefit (and hopefully also to others), thereby facilitating easy reference and editing as the occasion arises.
My first draft in January 2010 occupied 15 A4 pages, and it now stands well in excess of that It will ever remain a work in progress, but, if it is to continue to expand, I hope that it will not do so indefinitely, as it appears the cosmos is destined to do.
[1] Why I am not a Muslim, Prometheus Books, New York, 1995 (2003), Acknowledgments p xv. The portions in italics are my own interpolations.
Elwyn Elms
January 2010
Last revised: October 2020
Navigation hint: Each page on this site contains content. For all pages in the left-hand margin, please click on each main page heading as a separate item, e.g. "Particles and forces"; "A universe from nothing - the big bang", etc. Don't just rely on the pages on the drop-down menu.
In short, what I have attempted to do is to present in an organised and systematic fashion an amalgam drawn from the sources I have read, watched and seen, more-or-less as an aide memoire for my own benefit (and hopefully also to others), thereby facilitating easy reference and editing as the occasion arises.
My first draft in January 2010 occupied 15 A4 pages, and it now stands well in excess of that It will ever remain a work in progress, but, if it is to continue to expand, I hope that it will not do so indefinitely, as it appears the cosmos is destined to do.
[1] Why I am not a Muslim, Prometheus Books, New York, 1995 (2003), Acknowledgments p xv. The portions in italics are my own interpolations.
Elwyn Elms
January 2010
Last revised: October 2020
Navigation hint: Each page on this site contains content. For all pages in the left-hand margin, please click on each main page heading as a separate item, e.g. "Particles and forces"; "A universe from nothing - the big bang", etc. Don't just rely on the pages on the drop-down menu.