I watched an interesting video concerning the plank length and the end of space and time that prompted me to consider fairly new ideas concerning cosmology that I thought I would write here in this comment. Following I will consider several points concerning philosophical apprehension of contemporary cosmology issues. I will also stipulate that some degree of atheism has attached itself to modern cosmology. People watch video games or movies and understand that a human designer and producer built them. They may also theorize that advanced sentient beings or artificial intelligence might have manufactured this Universe. It is arrogance and illogical to eliminate an omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent being as the Author of Existence that is experienced as life in the Universe as a possibility. For some reason perhaps based on incomplete comprehension of the Bible and failure to comprehend modern hermeneutics, physicists have tended to eschew scripture. God is constant yet hermeneutics is subjective, human and personal. Wittgenstein understood the indeterminacy of translation. Considering the way an Omnipotent being would provide scripture meaningful to humanity of all ages would require at minimum, faith. That is something modern scientists lack. One may get the feeling that physicists find it difficult to accept the idea that any being anywhere (e.g. God) could have more intelligence than themselves.
There are many ideas about dark energy and dark matter that have arisen since the discovery that the matter and energy of the Universe that is known to exist comprises just 4% of the mass and energy required to explain how galaxies can cohere and why the Universe is accelerating at a faster pace. There are also alternative ideas about what gravity actually is; a very small quantum particle or some other phenomenon.
The unification of quantum mechanics and larger, more observable forces like electro-magnetism and gravity (along with the other two forces; the strong force and electro-weak force) is a present quest. String theory has been developed to that purpose. Black holes plainly exist and have been studied to the point that they usefully are added into quantum cosmology theories.
Einstein of course developed special and general relativity theories that explained that space-time is unified and space curves while time is a local phenomenon of mass. Mass and energy are convertible to roughly equivalent and the expansion of space in general relativity theory was demonstrated to exist using quasars or supernovae as Hubble distance measuring devices. Quantum mechanics coincided with general relativity in projecting the origin of the universe backward in time as if space-time were a funnel narrowing down to a single point known as a singularity.
At the singularity space-time, which in modern theory is hypothesized to consist of plank-length or smaller indivisible quanta for-themselves, no one knows how space is folded or warped into itself without taking up space. It is perhaps possible that energy arises from the interaction or ‘friction of these very small units of space-time along plate boundaries. Maybe energy and quantum field particle-waves are simply very small units of space-time friction-splintered away that inevitably try to return to join together as normal sized units of space-time quanta.
Regardless, it is a mystery how space-time can be nearly infinitely compacted into itself. I believe physicists presently prefer the idea that space-time is itself full of virtual energy or quantum jitters/quantum soup that spontaneously compact into singularities and then erupt into white hole explosions creating big bangs of Universes. Since I am not a physicist I can readily consider other scenarios. Another point to consider is the branching of cosmological theories at select points. Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle about quanta and Schrodinger’s wave-function psi, and wave-function collapse is one such point. Although about quantum mechanics the suggested solutions to the difficulty of plotting an electron’s point and speed simultaneously, because instead of being a particle it is really a wave can support one either a non-exclusive monoverse or multiverse cosmologies. I suppose one could use Feynman diagrams to chart the relationships of various cosmology theories based on their underlying quantum mechanical methods, and then locate the cosmology on black hole event horizons or not.
Hypothetical physical systems at quantum and/or cosmological levels are metaphysics. Obviously one shouldn’t ossify one’s metaphysical paradigm and assume it factual without proof, and one might want to put an asterisk on metaphysically functional systems noting that they are conditional and temporal and potentially subject to change (Even evolution theory. If it were proven for instance that the entire Universe and its mass and energy were pre-determined would that be compatible with an evolving metaphysical paradigm?). The quantum soup some cosmologists write about is thought to be a source of the whole Universe and everything in it. Empty space is believed to have virtual particles in it that are particle pairs that appear briefly and disappear back into space-time. Sometimes the particles becoming entangled with other particles in reality and build up like a snowball clumping together into semi-permanent mass, presumably helped along by the Higgs field at some point to acquire a third dimension (all two-dimensional particles are regarded as massless I believe). All that built up mass collapses into a black hole transforming to a white hole blasting a universe into being as it explodes.
Virtual particles exist within space-time. When space-time compacts because of gravity taking all of the mass with it and collapses to a singularity there is no space-time existing apart from the singularity comprised perhaps of compacted space-time. Really empty space has neither space-time or the virtual particles of space-time in its emptiness.
Space-time is regarded today as having quantum units at the plank length or less and differs from real emptiness and non-being. No one knows if pure void without space-time units really exists although Pre-Socratic philosophers thought about the volume that holds everything and Newton put his spinning bucket thought-experiment in it. There are several meanings of nothingness. Sartre’s use of the term tended to mean the absence of something that was in place. Pierre, a waiter, was standing beside a table. Then Pierre is gone (having walked away). Nothingness exists in the volume of space or perceived space where Pierre was. The other kind of nothingness is that of the void of space-time. Except know physicists believe the void is more like an aether with active quanta and virtual particles jittering about into it. Besides that spacetime with the jitterring quanta is itself believed to have quanta that altogether unite to comprise the space-time that matter arose in from the big bang. If the Universe were to contract back to its start, it is believed space-time would shrink back with it, or fold up. Maybe space time is itself some form of dilute energy or waves that arose from some waveform issued by God.
Scientists may believe that a non-space-time void containing the singularity that has the space-time that made the Universe itself has space-time with virtual particles and is not either a pure void without energy or mass. There is something illogical in that on the face of it; space-time should need to be made of something else within and without the singularity at the start of the Universe if the space-time and virtual energy of the primordial energy was not to be drag along or infused into the expanding, exploding singularity of this Universe perhaps. A pure void without space-time or mass-energy is the third sort of nothingness mentioned in this essay.
It is possible of course to place the singularity at the start of the Universe upon the event horizon that hosts it and posit that virtual particles from the event horizon drew together to form the singularity. I would guess that numerous mechanisms might be considered as potentially existing around the surface of an event horizon in an otherwise entirely empty void. One can hypothesize innumerable or infinite recurrent cycles on the surface of the event horizon for creation of the Universe singularity if one wishes, with equal plausibility with that of creation of a singularity through the act of advanced intelligence. I believe it safe to have the opinion that an omnipotent God could structure universes, black holes, mass, energy. Dimensions and space-time quanta better than advanced artificial intelligence or simple human scientists and with more accuracy and purpose than chance.
A cosmological weltanshuung is an ossified metaphysic in-itself. One might wish the entire Universe to be absolutely discrete and made of discrete quanta that self-organize without purpose or, deterministic order and that would in a similar circumstance self-organize an entirely different order and structure rather than the same ad infinitum. Without an absolutely exhaustive foundational account; a set of all sets including itself (string theory and its quantum jitters in space-time attempts the Godelian summit) a metaphysic unknown greater reality can’t be ruled out. Each new metaphysical level achieved and proven to be functional or observable is a stage on the climb of Mt. Metaphysics. Mt. Metaphysics may have not a summit and reaches upward forever. Wrong metaphysical assumptions disappear in the atmosphere beyond the mountain and can’t serve as footholds for the climb.
Before adding my viewpoint I should point out that the holographic principle has arisen from research of black holes. That viewpoint is that quantum data is information existing on the event horizon of a black hole. In fact the Universe of our human experience could be information existing on the surface of a black hole. I thought I would add to that viewpoint the notion that a black hole the size of the observable Universe may host our universe upon its even horizon to near it where some dynamic pressure keeps it from collapsing into it. Black holes of our Universe exist upon the event horizon of the hosting black hole of the Universe.
Maybe that is approximately consistent with the existing paradigm of out Universe existing on the surface of a black hole. It is an enticing notion and acceptable to me theologically since what the interior of the hosting black hole is is unknown or even unknowable. God could add a Universe to the surface of the hosting black hole anytime to ‘let there be light’ as easily as tossing a pebble into a pond.
Meta-theological speculation and inferences aside, placing quantum mechanics solutions for phenomena like quantum entanglement and super-positions is attractive. John Wheeler-Richard Feynman's mentor, thought that electrons may travel forward and backward in time and that there could be just one electron. Since electrons are measured points of electron-waves rather than things-in-themselves, and as the event horizon has different directions of time within and without the event horizon respectively it seems quite a reasonable paradigm. Quantum entanglement of virtual particles traveling in different directions of time within and without the surface of an event horizon would present interesting entanglements challenging to understand.
Yet if God tossed an information seed onto the event horizon of a very large black hole, and that seed-singularity were folded up compact space-time with enough mass for a Universe like our it might big bang initially and then encounter some sort of event near event horizon field phenomenon of dispersion equal to that conjectured in cosmological inflation. Gravity and the continuing acceleration of space-time and quantum entanglement and super-positioning could have useful solutions found on the surface of black holes and virtual particles entangled within and without space-time. Plainly faster-than light effects could apparently exist with several possible explanations in that event horizon region including yet not limited to retro-time causality.
For instance space-time quantum units may yield energy as they encounter the event horizon of the universe or large sized black hole or even experience virtual-space break-ups like virtual particles on the event horizon generating new space expansion of our event horizon Universe. Time is of course relative or relational to mass-energy within space-times. Gravity may be an event horizon phenomenon of entangled or super-positioned mass or space-time quanta on the event horizon, or of the hosting black hole itself. On the surface of the hosting black hole the countless black holes, even of our own Universe, may have different directions of time within toward their own singularities. Space-time units may be virtually entangled around event horizons. Space-time units may have super-positions that crumble at-a-distance along the Universe’s event horizon.
Practical questions remain unanswered that have taken new forms. One example is the concept of volume or true empty space wherein space-time occurs. If space-time quanta are things-in-themselves they exist somewhere that is a volume of empty space at some point. Even if not immediately resting in empty space, space-time quanta are probably embedded in some other medium that is unknown.
String theory may hold that one-dimensional strings exist (and that comprise the phenomenon of space-time quanta?) primordially bootstrapping everything else into existence, yet that scenario seems to terminate metaphysical reason where/when a particularly mathematically satisfying position might be found. Of course it could be correct yet encapsulated within further physical systems insights remaining to be discovered.
If one stipulates that string theory is reflects facts I believe more questions follow including that of a multiverse. A multiverse within string theory should itself exist on the surface of the host black hole- otherwise one might want to consider some kind of entanglement or superposition of entire universes existing as properties of nay Universe of a Multiverse that could exist apart from a hosting Universal black hole. A holographic universe of string theory criteria should not have special, unknown properties letting it communicate off of the event horizon of the host black hole wherein more universes might be spawned from it. I suppose one might want to invent a metaphorical wolf’s nose robot designed like a wolf’s olfactory apparatus to sniff out new structures or bodies of interest in difficult to access places; perhaps adapted to sniffing out theoretical physics structures and relationships instead of Earthquake victims amid rubble.
For God to speak a word into the darkness, to stimulate the origin of light with a Universe unpacking folded space-time configured to predestine its evolution is a wonderful conjecture. Yet like membrane collision theory, that could itself be membrane-Universes meeting on an event horizon, the black hole event horizon holographic universe paradigm is just one point of consideration of infinite possibilities of construction for appearances of evident matter configurations supporting the experience of being.
The interesting thing about quantum cosmology associated with black holes meta-theology to me is the complexity; there are so many points and theories to consider that are complimentary rather than mutually exclusive and they may shift quickly together into new paradigms of human understanding.
