UNIFICATIONS AND GENERALIZATIONS.

John C. Taylor’s book “Hidden unity in Nature’s Laws” (Cambridge University Press, 2001, 490 pp.) follows the history of scientific discovery since Galileo’s time to the present. We can find at least 15 unifications or generalizations in this history, as outlined below.

  1. From the Earth to the Sun and the planets, in Newton’s law of gravitation. “As above, so below.”
  2. From circular to elliptical orbits of the planets. Johannes Kepler.
  3. From necessity to probability: Carnot and Kelvin in thermodynamics.
  4. Electricity and magnetism unified. Faraday and Maxwell.
  5. Electromagnetism and light unified, as well as other types of radiation. Clerk Maxwell.
  6. Space and time into spacetime. Einstein’s special theory of relativity.
  7. Matter and energy. Albert Einstein.
  8. Particles and waves. Planck, Bohr, Heisenberg, and Schrodinger.
  9. Gravity and geometry (geodesics). Einstein’s general relativity.
  10. Parity non-conservation in the weak force and chirality in living cells.
  11. Particles and anti-particles (opposite charges.)
  12. Fermions and bosons (supersymmetry).
  13. Electromagnetism and weak force.
  14. Grand Unification Theory (GUT). Strong force as well.
  15. Theory of Everything (TOE). Gravitation as well. Not yet achieved.

I might add molecules to macromolecules to cells (pre-evolution).

I hesitate to add unity of mind and matter, of which we know very little. Perhaps through information and meaning?

Hanna Newcombe

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