How Things Work: A Brief History of Reality
BOOK II: The Power of Three (#54. "Solving the Mystery of Brownian Motion")
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Tuesday, October 25, 2022
“Einstein, twenty-six years old… still a patent examiner, published in the Annalen der Physik in 1905 five papers on entirely different subjects... Another dealt with the phenomenon of Brownian motion, the apparently erratic movement of tiny particles suspended in a liquid: Einstein showed that these movements satisfied a clear statistical law. This was like a conjuring trick, easy when explained: before it, decent scientists could still doubt the concrete existence of atoms and molecules: this paper was as near to a direct proof of their concreteness as a theoretician could give... All of them are written in a style unlike any other theoretical physicist’s. They contain very little mathematics. There is a good deal of verbal commentary. The conclusions, the bizarre conclusions, emerge as though with the greatest of ease: the reasoning is unbreakable. It looks as though he had reached the conclusions by pure thought, unaided, without listening to the opinions of others. To a surprisingly large extent, that is precisely what he had done.”
— Baron C.P. Snow (Variety of Men - 1966)
CONSIDERATION #54 – “Solving the Mystery of Brownian Motion”
PREFACE
Welcome Everybody!
Many people think of Einstein as a mathematician. In fact, that is one of the things that scares them away from attempting to understand his theories. Ironically, Einstein uses very basic mathematics to support his elaborate rational theories related to the universe. Only high school level math is used to describe his theories of relativity. Understanding Einstein is not about understanding his mathematics, it’s about understanding his thinking and reasoning.
“In other words, he started from the pure rational theory and then found the simple mathematics to support it; not only supporting the theory, but the original rationality behind it as well.”
Unlike many other scientists, Einstein did not base his theories on mathematics, he based his mathematics on his theories. In other words, he started from the pure rational theory and then found the simple mathematics to support it; not only supporting the theory, but the original rationality behind it as well. Einstein did not start with the limitations of the empirical world; he started with his own unlimited and unrestricted considerations and then demonstrated them through rational mathematics.
“Einstein transforms Descartes’ search for complete certainty into a quest for unlimited theoretical possibility.”
Einstein represents a different way of seeing the reality of the universe, not so much mathematically, but conceptually. Einstein doesn’t simply change our mathematical view of reality; he completely alters the traditional concept and understanding of reality in almost every way. Einstein transforms Descartes’ search for complete certainty into a quest for unlimited theoretical possibility.
Einstein’s second step on this journey of abstraction, Brownian motion, provides mathematical evidence for the most critical theoretical entity of the twentieth century: the atom.
CONSIDERATION #54 – Solving the Mystery of Brownian Motion
Solving Brownian Motion
In 1877, it was suggested that “thermal molecular motion” was responsible for “Brownian movement,” which was also a key part of the “kinetic theory of gasses” developed by James Maxwell, Ludwig Boltzmann, and Rudolf Clausius as a possible solution for phenomena related to heat. This theory proposed that the kinetic energy in the molecules of the liquid or gas was responsible for heat, and also Brownian motion. As the temperature increased, the molecules in the liquid or gas moved faster, explaining the increased movement of the particles suspended on them; if this was true, it would be the first directly observable effect of kinetic energy at the molecular level and corroborate the kinetic energy theory. This was Einstein’s reasoning, when in 1905, completely ignorant of previous investigations into Brownian motion, he proved this theory correct and became the “father of modern physics” by substantiating the existence of molecules and atoms.
”Utilizing the principles of statistics, along with the laws of classical physics and quantum mechanics, Einstein used Statistical Mechanics to mathematically explain Brownian motion…”
While working on the possible existence of atoms Einstein discovered that according to atomic theory, an observable movement of suspended microscopic particles should not only be expected, but it should be considered as evidence of molecular and atomic movement within the gas or fluid in which the particles were suspended. Utilizing the principles of statistics, along with the laws of classical physics and quantum mechanics, Einstein used Statistical Mechanics to mathematically explain Brownian motion, thereby proving the existence of molecules and atoms. Einstein’s conclusions were later verified by the French physicist Jean-Baptiste Perrin, winning him the 1926 Nobel Prize in Physics.
“It also confirmed that heat is the result of atomic and molecular motion.”
Einstein’s work in Brownian motion not only mathematically proved the existence of atoms and molecules, but it could also be used to determine the size of these still invisible objects. It also confirmed that heat is the result of atomic and molecular motion. Another critical contribution was establishing the importance of statistics and probability in physics, which would be essential for the new quantum revolution about to unfold.
Einstein’s understanding and application of statistical fluctuations and probability theory would lead to revolutionary breakthroughs in understanding complex weather systems, stock markets, evolution, and climate change in addition to other discoveries that changed our understanding of How Things Work.
POSTSCRIPT
The radical discoveries of Einstein have now come to naturally reflect the way we think of Reality. We live in the “modern scientific age” where atoms and molecules are taken for granted. Of course, molecules, atoms, and photons exist; I learned about them in high school! Of course, time and space are relative; how else can you explain that the speed of light is constant? Of course, the fabric of Space-Time is curved and twisted, how else do you explain the effects of gravity?
However, a more critical question might be “How did we come to see Reality this way and is it true?” Why is our current view of the universe as being composed of Space, Time, and Gravity the right one? Why is our certainty about the nature of Reality more viable than past, and perhaps future, ideas about Reality?
“…these theories are generated directly from the ‘mind’ of Einstein.”
The general answer is that this interpretation of Reality is scientific. However, what does that really mean? If “scientific” means “empirical” there is a problem. Most of Einstein’s “scientific” breakthroughs are not empirical or directly verifiable. The theories themselves are not generated from mathematical understanding, but rational understanding; these theories are generated directly from the “mind” of Einstein. Once he has “figured them out” in his mind, he uses mathematics to provide rational evidence for their accuracy. They are never empirically observed directly; only through rational evidence.
“As Einstein’s theories of relativity evolve into quantum mechanics the abstractions become even more substantial and bizarre…”
The science of direct empirical observation becomes replaced by a science of rational consideration backed up by rational evidence supporting its empirical existence. We never observe any of these theoretical entities directly; only the mathematical and observable results of their possible, or potential, existence, which we then assume to be “real.” As Einstein’s theories of relativity evolve into quantum mechanics the abstractions become even more substantial and bizarre, to a point where even Einstein can no longer accept them. However, the transition into this new world of rational abstraction begins with the Photo-Electric Effect and Brownian motion.
“Like other great thinkers before him, Einstein builds upon these basic revolutionary insights to construct the foundation for a radically new consideration of Reality.”
In his work related to the Photo-Electric Effect, Einstein postulated a theoretical entity called a photon that radically changed our concept of light. In his work related to Brownian motion, he proposes that theoretical entities called molecules, and atoms, are the imperceptible mystery behind the unexplainable movement. Like other great thinkers before him, Einstein builds upon these basic revolutionary insights to construct the foundation for a radically new consideration of Reality. The next step in that evolution is his Special Theory of Relativity.
Next week we begin to consider one of the greatest and most revolutionary theories of modern science, Einstein’s theory of Special Relativity.
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This Week on “The Thread”:
•Untangling the Knots of Reality Podcast: “Untangling the Mind-Body Paradox” (“Rene Descartes understood human beings to be a balance between reason and perception, or rationalism and empiricism. Traditionally, Reason reflected the rational abstract possibility of human experience while Perception represented the objective physical world of experience; the “real” world. However, Descartes had a problem with perception; he didn’t trust it. Descartes doubted not only the abstract nature of human reality, but the empirical aspect of human experience as well. Descartes questioned physical reality itself.…” )
•Reality by a Thread (Discussion Thread): Preview of Book V – “The Arch of Human Consciousness & Awareness: Part 2 – Rational Consciousness ” (“Here we see the direct connection between Aristotle and Descartes in their agreement about starting with the “simple” problems and then moving on to the more “complex” problems. The Scientific Process originates with Aristotle; it was transformed into a modern scientific concept by Descartes. Inductive Logic reflects the rational reasoning process necessary for fixing the simple problems of empirical existence, which are basically centered around survival...”)
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Book II: The Power of Three – Understanding Reality Through Science & Religion
Book III: The Enigmatic Mystery – Transcending Science & Religion
Coming Soon: Untangling the Knots of Eastern & Western Dualism (Podcasts 1-14)
