The only purpose so far is to make space physics match
that of matter's or the "Quantum."

I say space-time is a continuum and that will never change.

I say gravity that is a continuum.
Mitch Raemsch -- Light Falls --

"Nick" I say space-time is a continuum and that will never change.

It is a postulate that physical space is continuos, it can never be shown
experimentally.
If it is discrete, then someone will one day measure the discreteness.

Aage

Aage Andersen (REMOVE) wrote:
"Nick" I say space-time is a continuum and that will never change.

It is a postulate that physical space is continuos, it can never be shown
experimentally.
If it is discrete, then someone will one day measure the discreteness.

'Continuous' versus 'discrete' are apparently irreconcileable
hypotheses. Only an experimental test designed to observe the universe
in a way in which the logical consequences of the two hypotheses differ
will decide the issue conclusively.

Until then, the Principle of Parsimony (aka 'Ockham's Razor') will
dictate the application of the hypotheses in a purely utilitarian
manner.

To wit, since there is absolutely no measurable difference *so far*
between the two hypotheses, the _simpler_ one (i.e. continuous
space-time) shall prevail.

It should be pointed out, however, that *ALL* experimental evidence
supporting quantization of physical phenomena so far is applicable to
the properties of particles (charge, angular momentum, spin magnetic
moment, etc.), and *not* to the properties of a space devoid of
particles.

Tom Davidson
Richmond, VA

"Nick" wrote in message ups.com...
The only purpose so far is to make space physics match
that of matter's or the "Quantum."

The purpose of quantizing space is to keep you out
of the best places.

Dirk Vdm

Aage Andersen (REMOVE) wrote:
"Nick" I say space-time is a continuum and that will never change.

It is a postulate that physical space is continuos, it can never be shown
experimentally.

Why can't it ever be shown experimentally?

If it is discrete, then someone will one day measure the discreteness.

Aage

Aage Andersen (REMOVE) wrote:
"Nick" I say space-time is a continuum and that will never change.

It is a postulate that physical space is continuos, it can never be shown
experimentally.
If it is discrete, then someone will one day measure the discreteness.

Aage

That is partially correct. Penrose, Smolin, Wheeler and others have
proposed some models that do not rely on that postulate. In the end,
the confrontation of the *predictions* of those models against
experiment will be the only thing that determines which postulates are
correct. It may not be necessary (or indeed possible) to validate the
postulate directly.

Note the parallel with one-way light-speed measurements, and how the SR
postulates replaced the earlier postulates of the independence of space
and time and absoluteness of simultaneity.

PD

Aage Andersen (REMOVE) wrote:
"Nick" I say space-time is a continuum and that will never change.

It is a postulate that physical space is continuos, it can never be shown
experimentally.
If it is discrete, then someone will one day measure the discreteness.

Aage

How exactly are we going to measure the smallest amount? How will we
know that it is?

"Nick"
How exactly are we going to measure the smallest amount?How will we
know that it is?

You will never know. It is a new postulate that it is the smallest.

Aage

"Schoenfeld"

Why can't it ever be shown experimentally?

A theory of discrete physical space probably will include a universal
constant of dimension length. For continous space this constant will be
exactly zero, but every measurement have uncertainty, so you can't measure
it is exact zero

Aage

Aage Andersen (REMOVE) wrote:
"Schoenfeld"

Why can't it ever be shown experimentally?

A theory of discrete physical space probably will include a universal
constant of dimension length. For continous space this constant will be
exactly zero, but every measurement have uncertainty, so you can't measure
it is exact zero

Quantum Mechanics takes place over a continuous space. The observables
which you can't measure arbitrarily precisely past some scale does
imply that space is quantized or that those entities are quantized in
nature. If you try to measure the frequency spectrum of some wave over
a period of time delta_t it becomes less accurate as delta_t gets
smaller. What is the frequency spectrum of a wave at some point in
time? THAT is the relationship Heisenberg's relation describes between
conjugate variables, not one of discreteness.

Aage