Visualizing the Fourth Dimension Using Color • Hacker News Board

Re: Visualizing the Fourth Dimension Using Color

#11

Post by raganwald » Thu, Jul 16, 2009, 1:55 PM UTC

TweedHeads wrote: post #10

There are only three spatial dimensions, and time. If you are going to play tricks using color, you may as well use flavors and odors for a sixth dimension visualization (and any other property you may think of for further extending dimensions). I call bullshit.

Please forgive my simplistic questions, I do not have any higher education in physics and in my reading of pop science magazines I doubtless remain ignorant of important developments.

What is the proof that there are only three spatial dimensions?

You say "three spatial dimensions and time." Is time a dimension just like the spatial ones but we perceive it differently? Or is time something other than a dimension? And when was this proved or demonstrated?

Re: Visualizing the Fourth Dimension Using Color

#12

Post by glymor » Thu, Jul 16, 2009, 2:38 PM UTC

TweedHeads wrote: post #10

There are only three spatial dimensions, and time. If you are going to play tricks using color, you may as well use flavors and odors for a sixth dimension visualization (and any other property you may think of for further extending dimensions). I call bullshit.

It's important to realize that this is mathematics not physics.

This might give you an idea of what they can be used for: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Level_set_method

Re: Visualizing the Fourth Dimension Using Color

#13

Post by glymor » Thu, Jul 16, 2009, 2:56 PM UTC

raganwald wrote: post #11

TweedHeads wrote: post #10

There are only three spatial dimensions, and time. If you are going to play tricks using color, you may as well use flavors and odors for a sixth dimension visualization (and any other property you may think of for further extending dimensions). I call bullshit.

Please forgive my simplistic questions, I do not have any higher education in physics and in my reading of pop science magazines I doubtless remain ignorant of important developments. What is the proof that there are only three spatial dimensions? You say "three spatial dimensions and time." Is time a dimension just like the spatial ones but we perceive it differently? Or is time something other than a dimension? And…

You can't prove there aren't more dimensions. After all you could be hiding them in your garage with your invisible dragon or you could of rolled them up in a Calabi-Yau manifold.

Time is a unidirectional so it's considered to be a different kind of dimension than the spacial (bidirectional) dimensions.

Re: Visualizing the Fourth Dimension Using Color

#14

Post by gchpaco » Thu, Jul 16, 2009, 6:34 PM UTC

glymor wrote: post #13

raganwald wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Please forgive my simplistic questions, I do not have any higher education in physics and in my reading of pop science magazines I doubtless remain ignorant of important developments. What is the proof that there are only three spatial dimensions? You say "three spatial dimensions and time." Is time a dimension just like the spatial ones but we perceive it differently? Or is time something other than a dimension? And…

You can't prove there aren't more dimensions. After all you could be hiding them in your garage with your invisible dragon or you could of rolled them up in a Calabi-Yau manifold. Time is a unidirectional so it's considered to be a different kind of dimension than the spacial (bidirectional) dimensions.

.. Although depending on the particle theory you subscribe to, it may only be unidirectional to us (positrons being electrons moving backwards in time, etc.)