String theory. Yep, I’m gonna do some physics today. And I love string theory. Don’t know what it is? Well neither do I [because all physics is complex mathematics which only a few people can understand, which is why science is an article of faith; but that's for another blog], but I can do a good impression of someone who acts like they know what they’re saying.
This sums it all up!
String theory is in direct competition with the Standard model (are you bored yet?). The standard model basically tells us that all of existence is made up of incredibly small particles with Sci-Fi names (some, like proton, we all know; others like Z bosons are just plain weird), which act on each other with forces (the most famous being gravitational). This is handy as it means everything exists – isn’t that great! But it’s also a bit boring as it basically says existence is just material stuff and there is nothing more to it than that; however, the Standard Model always loses the infinite regress argument down the pub because scientists just keep finding smaller particles that make up the last lot of smaller particles that were discovered in a particle accelerator. Where does it end?
Well, string theory reckons they’ve got it sorted. They say, yes there are this family of elementary particles that make up all of existence; however, these particles are actually made up of (non-material) vibrating strings. Depending on how the strings vibrate determines the nature of the elementary particle the strings make up. So all of existence is dancing, and depending on how particular strings dance the types of particles are determined (including us). How cool is that!
Shiva, like strings, loves to bogey.
There is a problem though. These strings are so small they are impossible to see, so the Standard Model scientists are like: ‘Yeah right, what a load of hocus-pocus [you probably guessed that was a paraphrase]. But I believe it. And you know why? It’s the musician in me! I love the idea of the whole of existence being akin to a giant orchestral event playing a song that never ends! I am reminded of the Hindu god Shiva. Shiva is most often seen in a pose where he is dancing – the dance of creation & destruction. Is Shiva dancing to the vibrations of the strings our Western Scientists postulate? I say yes! [An aside - when unrelated worldviews begin to overlap, I reckon the thinkers are on to something].
The moral of the story is, we should all dance a lot more, because then we will do what our body is constantly doing – dancing. Great idea! Your employer probably won’t go for it, but hey, give it a crack.
[...] force of existence. (The nature of this existence is left for physicists and mystics to ponder. I have written an earlier blog on this.) Karma is the law which ensures that this state of equanimity is never compromised. Anything that [...]