Is Our Brain Limiting Our Understanding of the Universe?

[Simon Peach]

Thinking about 'everything' out there and the more and more convoluted way we have to arrange our maths and physics to explain the universe. I am starting to wonder if it's our brain is at fault. The human brain can only think in 3 dimensions maybe 4 with time, but that is one-directional, backwards. Now if we could instinctively think in more the 3 dimensions wouldn't it make thing a lot simpler to explain the universe. E.g. string theory etc etc?
BTW And the answer isn't 42! I'm ready again to be shot down in flames!
As for support of this "Leonard Susskind - Why does mathematics work? - Differential Equations in Action" see

 

[DennisN]

Now if we could instinctively think in more the 3 dimensions wouldn't it make thing a lot simpler to explain the universe. E.g. string theory etc etc?

Maybe. Maybe not. I'd say it depends on the Universe. The Universe as we know it seems to have 3 spatial and 1 temporal dimensions. There are no compelling experimental evidence of anything else, yet.

 

[newjerseyrunner]

It's an age old question: did we invent math, or did we figure it out?

We probably won't know until we meet someone else. The fact that physics is so elegantly described by maths makes me believe it's a fundamental part of the universe in some way.

Humans only have experience with physicality in 3D, but lots of us think in higher dimensions all the time, just not in the way you're thinking.

char pixelData[texture][mipmap][x][y][rgba]

Is a 5D object that someone like me has no trouble visualizing and manipulating mentally.

 

[Chronos]

We think in 3+1 dimensions because of perceptual constraints. If thinking in higher dimensions conferred any tangible survival advantage, we could reasonably expect ourselves, and other animals, would already have so adapted. None apparently have, therefore it is safe to assume 3+1 is entirely sufficient for survival purposes.

 

[Simon Peach]

Yes I can understand that we think in 3d because that is what we experience, and yes we can think in more that 3d if we practice. But that wasn't the original question, it was, if we thought in more than 3d would it make maths and physics simpler?

 

[Chronos]

It would really complicate differential equations. I consider higher order integrals worse than an ice cream headache.

 

[Simon Peach]

It would really complicate differential equations. I consider higher order integrals worse than an ice cream headache.

maybe not, maybe it would make things a lot simpler

 

[phinds]

maybe not, maybe it would make things a lot simpler

This is just an opinion unless you can show it mathematically. PF is not big on opinions, so how about you SHOW it mathematically? How about with a higher order integral, as @Chronos suggested?

 

[rootone]

Well I would like to know why Pi keeps showing up in places that have nothing to do with circles and lines.

 

[phinds]

Well I would like to know why Pi keeps showing up in places that have nothing to do with circles and lines.

It's actually a secret plot by us engineers and physicists to drive mathematicians crazy. Don't tell anyone.

 

[Simon Peach]

It's actually a secret plot by us engineers and physicists to drive mathematicians crazy. Don't tell anyone.

Well this just an opinion Too !