Are there types of dimensions other than spatial and tempora

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Spacie
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12 Mar 2011, 12:06 pm

Are there types of dimensions other than spatial and temporal? Can there be a universe out there that has a dimension that is neither a spatial nor a temporal dimension?



nunctecognovi
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12 Mar 2011, 1:07 pm

Why not?



ruveyn
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12 Mar 2011, 1:23 pm

Spacie wrote:
Are there types of dimensions other than spatial and temporal? Can there be a universe out there that has a dimension that is neither a spatial nor a temporal dimension?


This is supposed in some of the string and brane theories but there is no empirical evidence to support this idea.

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13 Mar 2011, 6:43 am

ruveyn wrote:
Spacie wrote:
Are there types of dimensions other than spatial and temporal? Can there be a universe out there that has a dimension that is neither a spatial nor a temporal dimension?


This is supposed in some of the string and brane theories but there is no empirical evidence to support this idea.

ruveyn


and there likely never will be, as we cannot percieve them... at least, not without the use of technology.



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13 Mar 2011, 9:27 am

I guess if the theory accurately explains sub-microscopic events there is no need to actually "look" for the strings/branes themselves.


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ruveyn
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13 Mar 2011, 11:46 am

ryan93 wrote:
I guess if the theory accurately explains sub-microscopic events there is no need to actually "look" for the strings/branes themselves.


Not so fast. There might be an alternative theory that explains just the same set of facts.

Just because a theory happens to fit a finite set of facts or observations does not mean it is correct. A further fact might be discovered that refutes the the theory. That is why ALL scientific theories must be held as provisional. There is no guarantee that a refuting fact will not be uncovered tomorrow or even later on today.

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ryan93
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13 Mar 2011, 3:38 pm

ruveyn wrote:
ryan93 wrote:
I guess if the theory accurately explains sub-microscopic events there is no need to actually "look" for the strings/branes themselves.


Not so fast. There might be an alternative theory that explains just the same set of facts.

Just because a theory happens to fit a finite set of facts or observations does not mean it is correct. A further fact might be discovered that refutes the the theory. That is why ALL scientific theories must be held as provisional. There is no guarantee that a refuting fact will not be uncovered tomorrow or even later on today.

ruveyn


I would not deny any of the above. As soon as a Theory fails to meet the facts, it should be relegated to a lesser position (as in Newtons laws of Gravity) or discarded. But as long as a theory meets the current observations, then we can regard it as an accurate description of the world around us.

People construct models to describe reality, so we can regard them as true models until we have reason to believe otherwise (of course, the theory needs to be proven to a high degree first).

If two alternate theories are both exactly as complex (so Occam's Razor has no place to bite into) account for the same data, they are both equally as "true".


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