<b>[pshroder] "... I never understood ..."</b>
Well, this gets us to that confusion factor I mentioned. Science in general, and physics in particular, ought to be simple to explain and easy to understand, at least on some level. At one time it was. But now it is not.
This <u>does not mean</u> that it (science) used to be right and now it is wrong.
The universe might actually be as subjective as some experts now say it is.
<ul>
<li>You see time for your traveling sister moving more slowly than time for you. Then she returns. And shazam! She is young.</li>
<li>Your traveling sister also sees time for you moving more slowly than time for her. (All inertial frames are equivalent.) Then she returns. And shazam! You <u>aren't</u> young.</li>
<li>You put a cat in a box and wait for a while. Did the timer go ding yet? Is the cat dead, or alive? Until you lift the lid, it is both. Then you lift the lid. And shazam! It is one or the other.</li>
</ul>
Did I mention that parts of modern physics[1] can be confusing? (Especially if you parody it like I do here.)
But again, confusion / lack of simple explanations does not prove in and of itself that modern physics is incorrect. The universe is a big place (even if it is only a few dozen-billion light years across). Big enough for a lot of very odd things to happen. Things that we do not (yet) understand.
Do not mistake my open mindedness for credulity, however. I do in fact think a good bit of modern science is off the mark. The math parts of modern physical theories produce spectatular results. It is the physics (the physical interpretations, or explanations) of modern physics where all the confusion, and in my opinion error, resides.
But I'm not willing to make the same mistake they do, and say I KNOW it is wrong and I am right. I believe this, but I do not know it. The physical parts of reality are independent of my perception. And yours too, by the way.
The conceptual parts of reality, however, are not. I suspect our failure to recognize that reality has a conceptual component is part of the source of the confusion we have experienced of late.
LB
[1]
Technically relativity theory is part of Classical physics, not Modern physics. Executive summary: Classical physics treats the world as analog, Modern physics treats it as digital. But sometimes the word modern just means now as opposed to before. Capitalization can sometimes help you tell the difference.
