I want to introduce you to an author that I discovered recently. His name is Andrew Thomas. He’s got a PhD in physics from a college in Wales, where he lives. He is not associated with any academic institutions, so unfortunately, he finds it impossible to get any physics papers published in prestigious science journals. Alternatively, he has taken to writing and publishing books about physics. In these books he explores and explains a variety of orthodox physical laws and concepts, accepted generally by all physicists today. But, he also has some ideas of his own about physics, nature, spacetime, gravity, and how the universe really works. Let me tell you that his ideas are amazing, mind-blowing really, and they have gotten me pretty excited!
By the way, Dr. Andrew Thomas’ books are all available on Amazon here:
https://www.amazon.com/Dr-Andrew-H-Thomas/e/B0088NGVOU/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1546540320&sr=1-2-ent
I have to mention that each book only costs $0.99 cents! Considering the quality of his books and the value of what they contain, they are an amazing deal! I highly recommend you buy them all! (And no, I get nothing for saying this).
Why am I excited? Because he writes his books for people like me who are interested in understanding the concepts of physics, without burying us in the math. Oh, there’s some math in his books, for sure, enough to show me, at least, that he understands and is fluent in the mathematics of physics, but the math is definitely not necessary to understand the concepts he is conveying. I love that!
In a conversation recently with a good friend of mine in Minnesota, named John, who is teaching physics at a local college, we talked about whether one can read and understand physics without knowing the math. He told me that yes, it is possible to grasp the concepts of physics without the math, but the math will be necessary if one wants to go deeper and “really” see how things work. I’m happy to see other physicists also share this perspective.
For myself, I haven’t got the time left in my life (or energy) to learn the math required to truly grasp theoretical physics at a deep level, as interesting as that would be. But I am still driven by a strong desire to try and understand just what the hell this universe I find myself in is all about.
There are many perhaps who will say that such an endeavor is a tremendous waste of time. There are so many “real” and “more important” things that we need to deal with in our lives rather than putzing around with ridiculous questions like, “What is time all about?” What is space all about? What is consciousness all about? Are these things related and if so, how? To me, these questions are not a waste of time at all. To me, they are some of the most important questions I will ever be able to ask in life. And I am acutely aware that I will never, ever, get another chance to find out the answers to these questions. It really is now or never. Tick, tock.
As far as popular physics books go for the masses these days, Andrew’s books are really nice. They are short actually, with each one focused on a specific topic:
Hidden in Plain Sight: The simple link between relativity and quantum mechanics.
Hidden in Plain Sight 2: The equation of the universe.
Hidden in Plain Sight 3: The secret of time.
Hidden in Plain Sight 4: The uncertain universe.
Hidden in Plain Sight 5: Atom.
Hidden in Plain Sight 6: Why three dimensions?
Hidden in Plain Sight 7: The fine-tuned universe.
Hidden in Plain Sight 8: How to build an atomic bomb.
Hidden in Plain Sight 9: The physics of consciousness.
Book 8, by the way, is all about nuclear physics and only contains legal (public domain) information. He’s not “that guy”. So, no worries.
Another thing I like about Andrew’s books is that they approach physics in a rather non-traditional way. That is, he believes in theories that are based on principles and simplicity (what a concept!). So much of academic physics is all about structure i.e., how deep can we go? He quotes physicist Bruce Shumm, who wrote a book called Deep Down Things: “Physicists like to believe that, in its essence, the universe is guided by a small set of such beautiful organizing principles — principles free of complex hypotheses that do little more than telegraph our ignorance.” Andrew believes that “At the ultimate base of Nature, we will surely find a principle which is beautiful and simple and obvious.”
This novel approach based on fundamental principles isn’t Andrew’s alone. Renowned physicist, Lee Smolin, has talked about it at some length and written about it in his book, Three Roads to Quantum Gravity. So, Andrew is following this path to scientific discovery to its logical conclusions. And that is another thing I love about his books. He uses logic and common sense to ask the right questions and find solutions that make sense. As a student of philosophy, this is music to my ears. It’s interesting to note that when he – or other physicists these days – venture into speculative physics (meaning physics on the bleeding edge) – like trying to find a way to merge relativity and quantum mechanics (what is commonly known these days as quantum gravity), the approach they take is in fact, very philosophical. More than one physicist has said that when they are on the edge of what is known, they need philosophy and philosophical methods to ask the questions that will move the science forward.
I hope to write a few blogs about Andrew’s ideas. This is a selfish effort on my part to help me better understand what he is telling us in his books.
Andrew Thomas is very approachable, too. If you email him with questions, he will respond.
Cheers!
Thanks, Jeff, for a fascinating and informative post. I am in full agreement with your recommendation of the books by Dr. Andrew Thomas. Yesterday, October 21, 2020, I received a suggestion from Amazon to purchase Hidden In Plain Sight 3: The secret of Time. As of this writing, I have only read 71%–page 113 of 159 on Kindle. I have interrupted my reading intending to find the email address for Dr. Andrew Thomas to send a positive note on his work. I have been unable to find it. My search is how I found your blog and your reference, “Andrew Thomas is very approachable, too. If you email him with questions, he will respond.” May I ask, how did you find his email?
I completely understand your comment “To me, they are some of the most important questions I will ever be able to ask in life. And I am acutely aware that I will never, ever, get another chance to find out the answers to these questions. It really is now or never. Tick, tock.” I feel the same way.
By way of my background in the measurement of Time, I would have to go back about 60 years. In 1962 I was assigned to the USAF B-52 Bomb Navigation Unit. In 1964 I was invited to apply for a USAF Metrology Department position, where I spent the rest of my career specializing in Precise Time & Frequency until 1980 when I retired.
I remember well that Pan Am Flight 106 carrying the Caesium clocks in 1971. During that time frame, our unit’s standard practice was to travel to various military, NASA, and CIA locations to calibrate their time standards with our Caesium clock standards. The results of this experiment, which seemed to confirm the Einstein Relativity Theory has been the subject of much conversation and debate.
XXVII
Myself when young did eagerly frequent
Doctor and Saint, and heard great argument
About it and about: but evermore
Came out by the same door wherein I went.
The Rubaiyat–By Omar Khayyam–Written 1120 ACE.
http://classics.mit.edu/Khayyam/rubaiyat.html
Time does not exist separate from the motion of the Movement of objects through space. –David Hume (May 7, 1711 – August 25, 1776)
Time must never be thought of as pre-existing in any sense; it is a manufactured quantity. –Hermann Bondi
(Nov 1 1919 – Sept 10 2005)
I take this to mean that there is no such thing as Time. Time in the sense used by the Romans with the expression “Tempus fugit,” or as we would say, “Time flies.” Time does not fly, stroll, or saunter for the simple reason that it does not exist. Time does not dilate, run faster or slower or allow Time-travel into the Future or the past for the same reason–Time is an illusion, a social construct, a fiction if you will, of the human consciousness. The persistent misconception that I have of Time passing by as I sat down to write this Comment is a measure of Distance and Velocity as in 60MPH. Miles is a social construct of Length, and Hours is a social construct of Movement. Time is another word for Movement. Our Earth is spinning at ~ 1000MPH, orbiting the Sun at ~ 66,600MPH. The Sun, with the Earth in tow, is traveling around the Milky Way at 486,000 miles per hour, at a distance of 156,000 trillion miles from the center. At this speed, it takes 226 million years to complete one orbit. Even though you and I do not feel the tremendous rate, we travel through space because it is so smooth and uniform. The acceleration inherent in orbital motion is so slight that our evolutionary sense detectors interpret the Movement as illusionary Time.
Science and scientist cannot continue to have it both ways. If there is no such thing as Time–then it follows that there is no such thing as places thought of as Future and Past. No such thing as an Arrow of Time. These concepts are relics of our misconceptions of the Universe from the Ancients until recent times.
There is no such thing as Time travel and never will be for the simple reason that the Future and Past have never existed or will ever exist, wormholes or not. Existence–which we think of as the Present or Now–becomes the Future and erases the Past with Movement. The dinosaurs exit, stage right–humanity enters, stage left, until the final curtain comes down.
P.S. Spacetime is just another word for the discredited Aether or Ether. Space is a vacuum or void and Time is non-existant. Put them together and what fo you get? 0 + 0 = 0 Nada, zip, nothing.
XXIV
Ah, make the most of what we yet may spend,
Before we too into the Dust descend;
Dust into Dust, and under Dust to lie
Sans Wine, sans Song, sans Singer, and–sans End!
Hi Don,
Thanks for the comments and feedback!
Sadly, I cannot remember how I got Dr. Andrew’s email address, but am sure it is available out there. I asked him just now via email if it is okay for me to share his email address with you. When I hear back, I’ll pass it on to you.
Interesting thoughts on Time, thanks for sharing. I’m stifling my own opinions on it right now, at least until I study the subject more. The passage of time does appear to be an illusion. Is time itself an illusion? I think the jury is still out, but it is one of the threads I am pursuing. Inquiring minds want to know!
One of the enjoyable aspects of retirement, I think, is being able to pursue answers to the most important questions in science today – and have fun doing so!
Dr. Thomas’s focus is, of course, physics, a subject I will be returning to now and then in my blog where it relates to consciousness. He’s a very busy guy, so I try to keep my emails to him short and succinct.
Jeff