• DAVID BIRNBAUM METAPHYSICS •
The Accelerating Universe:
David Birnbaum’s Potentialism at-work?
The ‘accelerating universe’: the universe appears to be expanding at an increasing rate. The universe is not contracting, is not staying stable, and is not even expanding at the same rate as prior; rather, it is expanding at an increasing rate. Saul Perlmutter, Brian P. Schmidt and Adam G. Riess picked up the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics for their work in advancing the proof of this. What does this mean for the universe and what does it mean for cosmology?
Let us see the ramifications of an ‘accelerating universe’ on two major cosmological theories:
(a) 20th Century Randomness/Atheism – courtesy of the British academic ‘elite’
(b) 21st Century Theory of Potential (Potentialism) – courtesy of cosmologist David Birnbaum of Manhattan
For the Randomness Theory crowd, ruled by the British academic atheist elite, an ‘accelerating universe’ is yet another nail in the coffin of their pseudo-theory. Contrary to the Randomness crowd, the universe is not aimless, is not falling apart, and the end is not near; the universe is not dying and is not in its death throes. Quite the contrary; its expansion is actually accelerating.
The arch ideological enemy of the British atheists is Manhattan metaphysicist and the creator of Potentialism itself – David Birnbaum. An ‘accelerating universe’ is just one more buttress of his audacious – and globally-covered – Theory of Potential, first expounded in 1988 (see Summa Metaphysica I, Ktav Publishing). For more in-depth on his 3-part treatise (1988, 2005, 2014) – see www.SummaMetaphysica.com. Over 70 focus journal pieces have looked at his theory in the 2013-2014 period alone (see www.SummaCoverage.com).
Birnbaum posits an organic universe of growth and life, seeking after the extraordinary. For his serious, professional and courageous multi-decade effort, he has been quite-viciously attacked by surrogates of Randomness/Atheism – who view the universe as a cold void doomed to decay and atrophy. Birnbaum’s ideas are never actually attacked; rather innuendo and bizarre false information is planted. Presumably this is the new ‘scientific method’ of his academic adversaries. Yes, back to the Holy Inquisition. Only this time it is small albeit vocal group of Atheism-protagonists who engage in juvenile tactics and gambits; presumably the Atheist group is threatened by the power of the Birnbaum theory – in introducing new and elegant hypotheses for teleology (cosmic purpose/direction/design). Note that any teleology whatsoever is anathema to hard-line Atheism. See www.ParadigmChallenge.com.
Back to scientific reality: The universe is expanding and the rate at which it is doing so is increasing. Does this support the entropy, chaos and doom of the Randomness/Atheist crew? Most certainly not.
Comets were once believed to portend famine, war and death too. We got over that. And Potentialism can spell the end of the British ‘Theory of No Theory’ – and give meaning and understanding to cosmic expansion, just as physics once elucidated the science for comets.
According to the Summa website – Birnbaum proposes an original concept as the missing key to understanding the cosmic drama. He proposes his signature concept that Potential is the eternal cosmic dynamic. More precisely, Birnbaum proposes that Quest for Potential∞ (infinitely iterating) is the eternal cosmic dynamic. This dynamic works its way forward over the billions of eons towards first igniting our universe and eventually – down the road – catalyzing the emergence of higher-level consciousness human beings within it.
The core theme of David Birnbaum’s works is that one elegant dynamic and one elegant dynamic, alone (Quest for Potential∞) both instigates and drives the entire cosmic order. According to the conceptual theorist “Potentialism proposes that there is, indeed, a protagonist to the cosmic order, but that the protagonist is a ‘quest’ and not a ‘classic entity.’ The universe quests for its maximal potential. The core dynamic Quest for Potential∞ strives with purpose and direction towards ever-greater and higher potential. At the ‘beginning of time,’ eternal Quest for Potential∞ harnessed the eternal portion of the eternal equations of Physics-Mathematics to ignite our universe via the Big Bang. Note that the works of MIT quantum physicist Seth Lloyd (2006) dovetail with the Summa Metaphysica series (1988, 2005, 2014). See www.PotentialismTheory.com.
This same symbiotic dynamic – Quest for Potential∞ in league with Physics-Math – then acted as a catalyst for the route tracking-forwards to high level humans in the 21st Century – tracking forward from the Big Bang thru the emergence of the Elements, primordial star systems, myriad galaxies, supernovas, the sun, our solar system, life, photosynthesis, DNA, organisms, sexual reproduction, multi-cellular life, the Cambrian Explosion, amphibians, forests, reptiles, mammals, dinosaurs, birds, flowers, evolution, hominids, homo sapiens, and ever-increasing consciousness/emotion – and, indeed, for all the key dynamics which have evolved in the universe.” . See also www.Conference1000.com.
Q4P
Potentialism describes the infinite Quest for Potential (shorthand: Q4P) as the central, cosmic drive of the universe. This Q4P, as Birnbaum calls it for short, is both instigator and direction-finder for the entire universe.
C+
On the intermediate level the universe inherently strives towards greater and greater levels of what Birnbaum coins as Complexification (shorthand: C+) the drive for ever-greater complexity, sophistication/richness/integration/diversity/wondrousness.
E+
In turn, this C+ drives the universe towards what Birnbaum coins as Extraordinariation (shorthand: E+). Extraordinariation is a goal/horizon of sublime and utter super-Complexification – both in form and quality (see www.Extraordinariation.com).
The three key components noted just-above, in turn combine into the SuperLaw of Potentialism:
The SuperLaw
Q4P > C+ > E+
or
Quest for Potential > Complexification > Extraordinariation
According to Birnbaum, the universe’s universal and infinite drive towards its own Potential can be witnessed in the day-to-day increases in Complexification of everything in the universe. We can witness the theory at-work in the (historical) formation of atoms, then molecules, as well as in the birth of the stars and galaxies – and, indeed, in the birth and development of consciousness and of the spectrum of life on very own Earth.
Expansion & Dark Energy
The key to understanding expansion is to understand what is driving it: Q4P. To Potentialism, Q4P represents the fundamental, universal drive of the cosmos. It is the inherent mandate of everything in existence to follow its own Infinite Quest for Potential. Q4P, driving relentlessly towards greater and greater Complexification, reshapes the physical universe repeatedly in its never ending drive. While the Randomness academic faction may foresee decay and implosion for the universe, Potentialists see growth and the limitless possibilities of expansion.
As evidence, here is a key factor – the expansion of the universe, this great “void” is not filled with the nothingness you’d expect. In fact, the void is filled with dark energy – making the name of void itself rather silly. Needless to say, it does still sound bleak. Is dark energy not this blackness and coldness that is the opposite of energy? Well, no actually.
Dark energy is simply a name physicists have given to something they don’t understand. This isn’t a smoke and mirrors trick in-and-of itself. It is common to name things that we don’t fully understand so we can at least quantify them. But “dark” energy is an unfortunate pick. It makes it sound like some negative energy from a sci-fi movie. But, in fact, the only thing we know about dark energy is how little we know about it. Well, that, and how much of a massive piece of the universe it actually fills.
It fills the apparently empty space between what we know of the universe. Meaning that empty space is anything but. And this is where the theory of Randomness and decay fall apart. There is something there. Play all the mnemonic tricks you wish, but at the end of the day empty space isn’t empty by a long shot. We may not know what it is, but we know what it isn’t: open, empty space. Potentialism predicts this. More to the point, Potentialism predicts the universe throwing us such curve balls.
To Potentialists, what we are seeing with expansion is the effects of Q4P, that central drive to the universe which makes everything seek higher levels of complexity. The Potentialist will point out quickly, in the face of expansion, that the void is filled with something. Dark energy. Therefore, it is not falling apart, but completely the opposite, growing. That humankind can’t understand what is growing is irrelevant. In fact, it is expected that the universe grow in new, unprecedented and not understood ways – it is destined to.
That this expansion is accelerating, only lends itself to what Potentialists will point to as an effect of Q4P. If the universe were expanding at a steady rate, it would be lacking the dynamism inherent in Q4P. It only makes sense that once it has a foothold, the speed would increase. That, at the core, is the principle of Q4P. Complexity never backtracks, it marches onward in both scope and speed.
One only has to look at the history of the universe and to trace the epochs that came before to see how things will always get more complex and the universe will grow. While the physicists of a past century might scratch their heads in confusion, Potentialism and Birnbaum himself will continue to show us the creation and growth that is intrinsic to a cosmos predicated on Infinite Quest for Potential, Complexification and Extraordinariation.
