Making Sense Of The Findings Of Quantum Physics

Quantum physics confirms that meaning is the creation of meaners (observers) and probabilistic in its instantiation (the collapse of the wave function).

The reason physicists think Quantum Theory is "weird" is that (1) they assume that meaning is independent of meaners — that Nature is categorised independent of categorisers — and (2) they treat potential as if it were actual (e.g. superposition).

Making Sense Of Time Relativity vs Space Relativity

Gravity is the increasing relative expansion of time intervals with proximity to a centre of mass, and the increasing relative contraction of space intervals in the direction of a centre of mass, with increasing proximity to that centre.

The relative expansion of time intervals means that a process such as the ticking of a clock, unfolds relatively more slowly. The contraction of space intervals means that the shortest trajectory (geodesic) of another body traversing the affected space will be curved in the direction of the centre of mass. But there is an important difference between time relativity and space relativity. 

In time relativity, the expansion of time intervals is relative to other time intervals: those at other spatial locations, further from the centre of mass. In space relativity, on the other hand, the contraction of space intervals (in the direction of a centre of mass) is relative to the other space dimensions (those perpendicular to the dimension of contraction).

This means that a person does not detect the expansion of time intervals, since time intervals are expanded only relative to time intervals at spatial locations not occupied by that person; whereas a person does detect the contraction of space intervals (as gravitational attraction in one direction), since space intervals are contracted relative to the other two spatial axes at which the person is located.

Making Sense Of Classical vs Quantum Physics

From the perspective of Halliday's Systemic Functional Linguistic Theory, the main distinction between classical physics and quantum physics is that quantum physics introduced the distinction between potential and instance, which introduced the notion of probability, whereas classical physics is only concerned with instances.

Where Newtonian mechanics is only concerned with the quantification of instances, Quantum mechanics is concerned with the quantification of both potential and instance, where potential is quantified in terms of waves of probabilities, and instances are quantified in terms of the statistics of the particles that manifest those probabilities.

Making Sense Of The Flow Of Time

Time, as one dimension of space-time does not 'flow', any more than do the three dimensions of space. The 'flow' of time is the shifting of the location of a reference point, the present, along the time axis, where 'the present' is the temporal location of making meaning: of sensing or saying.

Making Sense Of Emergent Complexity

Chemical systems emerge as values of physical tokens.

Biological systems emerge as values of chemical tokens.

Somatic semiotic systems emerge as values of biological tokens.

Social systems emerge as values of somatic semiotic tokens.

Social semiotic systems emerge as values of social tokens.

Making Sense Of Theorising

On the 'transcendent' view of meaning, theorising is making meanings of meanings outside semiotic systems. On the 'immanent' view of meaning, theorising is making meanings of meanings inside semiotic systems, such as the meanings made by language of the meanings of perceptual systems. The findings of quantum physics — 'a phenomenon is not a real phenomenon until it is an observed phenomenon' — are consistent with the 'immanent' view, but not with the 'transcendent' view.

Making Sense Of Existence

Each electron (existent) is the instantiation of potential.

The Universe (of existents) is the instantiation of potential.

Existence is the instantiation of potential.

Making Sense Of Belief

Ideationally, beliefs are the projections of desiderative processes (not cognitive processes). As ideas, they are desires (not thoughts).

Interpersonally, beliefs are proposals: offers/commands (not propositions: statements/questions). In terms of modality, beliefs are modulations: inclinations/obligations (not modalisations: probabilities/usualities).

Beliefs include ideologies. Ideologies are desires, offers/commands and inclinations/obligations.

When the rich symbologies of mythologies are misconstrued as facts to be believed, mythologies become desires, offers/commands, and inclinations/obligations, and function on a par with ideologies.

Making Sense Of 'Cyclical' Time

The notion of 'cyclical' time confuses processes with time. Time is the dimension along which processes unfold. A year is the temporal duration of a cyclical process: one revolution of the Earth around the Sun. A day labels the temporal duration of a cyclical process: one rotation of the Earth on its axis. Seconds, minutes, hours, days, months, seasons and years label time intervals of cyclical processes. It is not time that is cyclical but the process that unfolds in time.