What If Space and Time Are Not Real? — Support for Reactive Substrate Theory (RST)
🌌 What If Space and Time Are Not Real? — Support for Reactive Substrate Theory (RST)
The PBS Space Time video “What If Space And Time Are NOT Real?” provides extensive philosophical and physical arguments that directly support the core axioms and goals of the Reactive Substrate Theory (RST). The entire 26‑minute discussion centers on the idea of emergence and the relational nature of reality — precisely what RST formalizes.
🌌 Core Philosophical Alignment (Relational Space)
The video revisits the historical debate between Isaac Newton (Absolute Space) and Gottfried Leibniz (Relational Space). RST sides firmly with the relational view, grounding its ontology in a continuous Substrate Field (Σ).
| Video Claim | RST Alignment | Support for RST |
|---|---|---|
| Space and Time are not Fundamental [00:44] | RST Axiom: Space and Time are Emergent. | RST eliminates the need for a fixed, absolute stage. The Substrate Field (Σ) is the sole fundamental reality. |
| What do space and time emerge from? [01:24] | RST Answer: They emerge from the dynamics of the continuous Σ Field. | The video calls this a key question for new physics; RST provides a physical, continuous mechanism for this emergence. |
| Leibniz: Relational Space [07:42] | RST Formalizes Leibniz’s View. | Distances and durations are measurements of strain and causality within the Substrate Field, connecting all Σ Solitons. |
| Einstein: No Empty Space [15:53] | RST as Physical Realization. | Einstein said: “There exists no space empty of field.” RST agrees, positing the Substrate Field (Σ) as ultimate reality, eliminating “empty space.” |
🔬 Physics Crisis and Emergence
The video highlights the breakdown of current models, which necessitates an emergent theory like RST.
- The Breakdown of Spacetime: General Relativity fails at the Planck length (10⁻³⁵ m) and conflicts with quantum mechanics [16:11]. RST Support: RST defines the Σ Field as prior to spacetime. The Planck length marks the minimum stable soliton size — a measurement limit, not a limit of reality itself.
- The Nature of Fields and Virtual Particles:
- Electromagnetic Field shows space is not empty [12:43]. RST Connection: RST argues the Σ Field is the only fundamental field, with electromagnetism emerging from it.
- Virtual Particles are “mathematical fiction” [23:20]. RST Connection: RST replaces virtual particle exchange with direct propagation of waves (strain/tension) through the continuous Σ Substrate.
- Loop Quantum Gravity (LQG) and String Theory Critique: Theories like LQG and Wolfram’s project propose spacetime emerges from non‑spatial elements [17:00]. RST Connection: RST simplifies this: instead of abstract loops or computational elements, it uses a single, physical, continuous medium (Σ) from which matter and dimensions emerge. This is more parsimonious and physically intuitive.
🌱 The Takeaway
The video’s central claim — that space and time may not be real — directly strengthens RST’s foundation. RST provides the physical mechanism: a continuous Substrate Field (Σ) from which matter, energy, space, and time all emerge. This isn’t about claiming a final answer, but about showing that by unifying matter and energy under one continuous medium, many of physics’ deepest riddles can be reframed with simpler, deterministic mechanics.
🌌 Beyond Particles: Matter and Energy as Two Faces of One Reality
It began as a thought experiment: what if matter and energy are just two sides of one continuous medium? In Reactive Substrate Theory (RST), both emerge from the same field (Σ) — matter as stable knots, energy as waves. This simple shift clears away many of physics’ biggest headaches, from singularities to extra dimensions. Not a final answer, but maybe a more grounded starting point for unifying physics.
📺 Inspiration from “What If Space And Time Are NOT Real?”
The PBS Space Time video “What If Space And Time Are NOT Real?” explores the idea that space and time may be emergent rather than fundamental. This directly supports RST’s core axiom: the only fundamental reality is the continuous Substrate Field (Σ). Time and space are not independent dimensions, but measurements of causality and strain within this field.
- Newton vs. Leibniz: The video revisits the debate between Absolute Space and Relational Space. RST sides with Leibniz, formalizing the relational view by grounding all distances and durations in the dynamics of the Substrate Field.
- Einstein’s Insight: “There exists no space empty of field.” RST makes this literal: the Substrate Field is everywhere, eliminating the concept of empty space.
- Physics Crisis: GR breaks down at the Planck scale, while QM relies on abstract constructs like virtual particles. RST resolves this by defining a pre‑geometric, continuous field that never collapses to singularities and mediates forces through real wave dynamics.
⚛️ The Core of RST: One Field, One Equation
RST unites General Relativity (GR) and Quantum Mechanics (QM) by resolving problems before they start. Its foundation is a single, non‑linear wave equation:
(∂²S/∂t² − c²∇²S + βS³) = σ(x, t) ⋅ F_R(C[Ψ])Equation Breakdown:
- Left Side (Field Dynamics): Governs how the Substrate (S) oscillates. The βS³ term acts as a dynamic vacuum energy, offering a natural explanation for cosmic acceleration (Dark Energy).
- Right Side (Interaction): Shows how matter (σ)—a stable knot or Soliton in the field—couples back to the Substrate, generating the pressure gradients we perceive as gravity.
🚫 Problems That Quietly Fade
- No Multiverses: Randomness is just our statistical view of deterministic field waves.
- No Singularities: A continuous field cannot collapse to infinite density.
- No Extra Dimensions: RST works entirely within 3+1 dimensions, avoiding the complexity of String Theory’s hidden spaces.
- No Time Travel: Time is emergent, not a dimension to traverse.
