| The Fourth Dimension: An Odyssey Yet to be Traveled |
| The fourth dimension is a very mysterious subject and one that cannot easily be explained. For years people have gone without knowing anything about the fourth dimension and today is not very different. If one were to ask a random person on the street what hyperspace was, he or she would most likely gawk in great confusion at the thought of such an esoteric question. However, if a person takes the proper time to learn about this mysterious dimension, its concepts become quite easy to understand. The fourth dimension, which is represented by time, is measured by lenght, height, width, and x (Langford 162). The length, width, and height are taken from third-dimensional measurements, but since the fourth dimension contains another unknown component, the variable x is commonly used. The fourth dimension is best represented by time, because time is one of the only proven objects that properly represents hyperspatial measures (Micio 10). Another name for the fourth dimension is the space-time continuum, which can be best explained by a quote from the School of Wisdom. The fourth dimension, often called the space-time continuum, is reality. In the fourth dimension, the infinite number of solids in the universe are in relationship with each other through time and energy. In the time domain, the fourth dimension continues the movement of the third dimension (past) forming a wave, constituting fractally the space-time continuum (School of Wisdom 1). The space-time continuum is what connects the past with the future, creating the present. It also binds the fourth dimension to the third, creating what most people know as time (School of Wisdom 2). To better understand all of this, one must be able to identify hyperspace. Hyperspace is the existence of dimensions beyond the third. It can be explained better by reviewing all of the lesser dimensions because each dimension is tied to another one. First is the zero dimension. The zero dimension has no measurement but only position. Only a point on a plane can represent this dimension. This point cannot be measured in any way, but no matter where the point is at, it will always have position. If a dot were alive, it would be oblivious to every dimension except its own existence. It would have no knowledge that the first dimension existed (Fourth Dimension 5). The first dimension is a little easier to understand, for it is just a line on a plane. A line has length, but no height or width. A line would be knowledgable of a point (assuming that it is postitioned on that line), and a line would know about any other intersecting lines. However, a line would never realize that other dimensions exist above the first, nor would it understand that with a few more lines, it could become a two-dimensional figure (Fourth Dimension 5). The second dimension is made up of closed lines on a plane. For example, a square is a two-dimensional object. A two-dimesional object has both height and width and can be found everywhere in our world. Several perpendicular lines can merge together to create a rectangle, which is also two-dimensional. And thus, if we stack several two-dimensional universes together, one would behold the third dimension (Fourth Dimension 5). The third dimension, by definition, is everything in our universe. Anything from a human to a quasar is considered three-dimensional, since they can be measured by length, width, and height. The formula for volume is length times width times height, which will result in the proper measure for a three-dimensional object. All of the lesser dimensions are obvious in the third dimension. The previous dimension's universes stacked up on each other would result in a greater dimension. Therefore, many three-dimensional objects stacked upon each other would result in a fourth-dimensional object (Fourth Dimension 5). The fourth dimension is the result of many three-dimensional universes stacking up. Therefore, since the fourth dimension is greater than the one humankind lives in, humanity is ignorant of it. Even when a person thinks about fourth-dimensional properties, he or she cannoth fully understand them because the fourth dimension cannot properly be represented in the third dimension. It's like teaching a mono-chromatic person how to see color. Whatever vision they associate with the name of the color is what they see and believe. Likewise, whatever we associate to be our universe will always be what we see as our universe. Unless we expand onward into the fourth-dimensional frontier, we will be trapped forever in the mediocrity of the unknown, and that is a terrible place to be. Therefore, a fourth-dimensional object such as time or a hypercube can never be properly seen by a human's three-dimensional eyes (Steiner 11). The principle geometric figure of the fourth dimension is known as the hypercube, also known as the tesseract (Schmidt 22). A hypercube is infinetly large and is measured by length, width, height, and x. It is the equivalent of countless three-dimensional universes being stacked upon each other. If one were to fold six two-dimensional squares together, he or she would create a box. Likewise, if that person were to fold six three-dimensional cubes together, he or she would create a hypercube. It may seem to be an impossible feat to construct a hypercube, but it is very simple in the fourth dimension (Fourth Dimension 5). A hypercube appears to be a box within a box connected at the sides by one diagonal. However, if the angle were to be changed, the inner box would move to the outter box creating what would appear to be an assymmetrical figure. This factor gives the hypercube an appearance of twelve sides. However, a tesseract actually has an infinite amount of size, and the illusion is created because our brains cannot properly invison an infinite-sided object. However, despite this obstacle, rotation can help us better display a hypercube (Fourth Dimension 5). "The tesseract is a guided demonstration of how we can visualize rotation if four dimensions" (Fourth Dimension 6). Visualizing rotation in four dimensions seems quite intriguing because a hypercube has no fixed form. Rotation is caused by different parts of a tesseract that move at different speeds. It seems like an odd concept, but this is rather the norm in the fourth dimension (Fourth Dimension 5). Just as parts of a tesseract move at differing times and speeds, so does time. This concept is backed up by Einstien's Theory of Relativity, which states that if a person were to travel fast in space, time would slow down for him or her while the rest of the universe continued to travel at the same faster rate of time. The Theory of Relativity allows for time travel forward (Micio 10). Therefore, time, too travels at varying speeds. Time is also relative. If two people were given an hour to perform an activity, one person playing with a paper clip while the other played video games, time would have seemed to go faster for the person doing the more enjoyable activity. By using this concept, it is easy to see the vast ripples in time. (C'mon, haven't you ever said that you had a long day? Was it a long day for everyone in the world?) This is what the variable x stands for. X is the rate of change, but x is also the property that makes the fourth dimension differ from the third (Langford 162). Fourth-dimensional life-forms sustain the same speeds in all areas, no matter how odd they appear. However, what would human-kind think if they were to see a fourth-dimensional creature? A fourth-dimensional creature would be interesting, yet difficult to understand. Since higher dimensions can move through lesser ones, a fouth-dimensional being could move freely in the third-dimension (Harding 1). However, it would still be able to grasp onto an object if it so desired. This being would be a wonderful surgeon, for it would be able to remove a brain tumor from a person's head without even breaking the skin (Harding 1). It could also casually walk through a sword as if nothing were there. However, humans would only be able to see bits and pieces of a fourth-dimensional creature, just as a piece of paper would only be able to see the fingertips of a person's hand pressing against it (Harding 2). Concepts of a fourth-dimensional being may be a little hard to understand at first, so the next paragraphs will explain the use of a fourth-dimensional paradox. One of the best ways to explain time travel is actually through a paradox. Though such a concept may seem like a contradiction, in all actuallity, it works. The scene is set in 2001, when a girl fantacizes about going back into time. All of a sudden the room starts to spin, and she finds herself in 1942. She sees a much younger version of her grandmother. Now this girl really despises her grandma, so out of blind rage she gets a gun and shoots her. Finding that her grandmother died, the girl suddenly disappears. However, if she disappeared, she never could have killed her grandmother. If that were the case, then she would never have disappeared. Then she would, once again, be free to go back into time and kill her grandmother again, et cetera, et cetera (Fourth Dimension 3). This paradox illustrates how dangerous time travel could be. If someone were to go back into time, no one could be sure of what effects--if any--it would have on our universe as we know it. With one miniscule mistake by a careless traveler in the Triassic Period, the whole world could be destroyed. Going back in time is not worth all the risks, even though it would be spectacular to see history take place. Not knowing the effects of time travel is what makes the fourth dimension even more of a mystery. However, it is a very intriguing subject (Micio 4). |
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