Philosophy Science Articles
This page contains only the current article. The articles from the recent issues that are not in the ebook 'Nature, Science, and Spirituality' can be viewed by clicking the link Recent Articles.
Continuity and Perception
The word continuity implies motion, which in turn implies time. We take the continuity of time as self-evident. In some ways we do the same with space. But is it really so? Not long ago both space and time were considered absolute. The relativity theory did away with that notion. They are both relative and exist only in the phenomenal world; when the universe disappears, space and time also disappear. While they are there, though, they seem continuous. The word 'seem' itself is tied to perception and therefore continuity is simply a matter of perception.
This is not merely a philosophical point. We all know about cinematographic projection and how the projected picture seems continuous. In reality it is a sequence of distinct pictures projected in a rapid sequence beyond the capability of our visual perception to distinguish them. The same process works with anything that changes. If the change occurs in too rapid a succession, we will see the phenomenon as continuous. This takes us back to the question of continuity of space and time.
Let us take the case of space first. How small can the part of space be before it ceases to be space? Science has already tackled this problem for matter; we cannot break down matter to anything smaller than electrons and quarks; beyond that we have simply energy. For space the smallest unit that we can think of is a point. But a point is a mathematical concept; it has zero dimensions and, hence, it is no longer a part of space. Instead of point we can think of dot, the smallest that we can imagine. So space is simply a succession of dots. If these dots come into our visual perceptions in a very rapid succession, we see them as continuous in the form of line (not a geometrical one), surface, or volume. This is what we observe on a computer screen.
The scenario in the case of time is more vague. The smallest unit of time that we use is a moment. Just as we cannot make the size of the dot in space specific, we cannot make the size of moment specific in terms of fraction of a second. At the same time we know that it cannot be zero. Thus the continuity of time is also a result of the limitations of our sense perception.
Let us now consider space and time at the other extremes. For space we use the word infinite, for time the word is eternity. Again we cannot visualize infinite space because our concept of space is based on separation between points. Similarly we cannot form any idea about eternity because our concept of time is based on that of beginning and end. The point is that infinity is beyond space and eternity is beyond time. In order to realize them one has to go beyond the world of perception, in other words transcend space-time.
Quantization is a relatively recent concept in science. However, in the yoga philosophy it was discussed more than two thousand years ago. It essentially says that every thing in the universe, including space and time, is comprised of discrete units. The continuity of anything is only a matter of perception; it results only from the smallness of the discrete units and from the rapid rate of input to the mind. This of course refers only to phenomena in the phenomenal world of space-time and matter. If one is able to transcend space-time (as in deep meditation) this distinction has no meaning.
In the real world, though, continuity plays an important role in life as well as in nature. The desire for continuity is inherent in human nature. The quest for immortality is the ultimate example. Failing that people want children so that they can maintain continuity of their existence through them. Some want to accomplish that through their work - writing books, making mark in different fields, or engaging in philanthropic activities. In nature almost everything goes in cycles. Life itself is a continuous process.
However, if we look closely, every change occurs in discrete units. Everything has its own ebb and flow that changes moment by moment. The very nature of this web and flow is discontinuous, and the perception of continuity is, therefore, an illusion. From a pragmatic point of view this may sound strange and even absurd, but that is the reality. The flow of the river may be continuous but as the Chinese proverb goes, "you cannot step into the same river twice".
Articles from Past Issues
The articles from the previous issues have been collected in a booklet in PDF format. It can be read online or downloaded using the link Nature, Science, and Spirituality. Some of the articles have appeared on Metamorphosis and also on Ezine Articles . The articles included here are listed in the Table of Contents.
Back to topSite updated October 25, 2008
