By John Chang
Questions and Discussion
- Is
the spacetime system of the universe truly composed of three-dimensional
space and one-dimensional time?
- How
should two-dimensional time and three-dimensional time be
described, and what is their significance?
- What
are spatial cycles and temporal cycles?
- Why
must every spatial dimension correspond to a temporal dimension,
regardless of how many dimensions exist?
1.
Introduction
In the previous chapters, we proposed that time
corresponds to the symbol "O", while space corresponds to the
symbol "|". These two represent a complementary pair of opposites
within the Universal Law framework.
If they indeed constitute an inseparable duality,
then they should emerge together and disappear together. Consequently, a three-dimensional
space should correspond to a three-dimensional time, forming a six-dimensional
spacetime, rather than the conventional four-dimensional spacetime
consisting of three spatial dimensions and one temporal dimension.
2. Physical
Spacetime: Three-Dimensional Space and One-Dimensional Time
Modern physics—from Newtonian mechanics to
Einstein's theories—is fundamentally built upon three-dimensional space and
one-dimensional time. Einstein unified these into the concept of four-dimensional
spacetime.
Through Special Relativity and General Relativity,
Einstein further developed this framework geometrically. His theory showed that
mass curves the surrounding spacetime, extending Newton's concept of absolute
space and time into a relativistic spacetime and replacing Newtonian
gravitation with gravitational field equations. However, the wave equations
derived from four-dimensional spacetime are mathematically extremely complex.
In recent decades, developments in quantum theory
and the search for a unified field theory have introduced higher-dimensional
spacetime concepts, most notably string theory. Some versions propose
ten-dimensional spacetime, while others suggest twenty-six dimensions.
Yet no widely accepted explanation has been given
for how these ten or twenty-six dimensions reduce to the three-dimensional
space and one-dimensional time that we directly experience. Likewise, why
should spacetime possess ten or twenty-six dimensions rather than fifteen or
twenty?
From the perspective presented in this book, these
higher-dimensional constructions remain primarily mathematical models. Without
a clear physical interpretation connecting them to observable reality, their
practical significance remains uncertain.
Figure 9-1
Ten- and Twenty-Six-Dimensional Spacetime in String Theory
What does such spacetime actually look like?
3. The
Concept of Three-Dimensional Time and Three-Dimensional Space
3.1 Humanity
The concept of three-dimensional time is derived
from the Universal Law symbols ".", "|", and "O".
Everyone is familiar with one-dimensional time. But
what would two-dimensional or three-dimensional time mean physically? Very few
discussions have addressed this question.
As an illustration, let us place the temporal scale
on Earth and use human beings as the object of study.
Figure 9-2
One-Dimensional Human Time
For an individual human being, life extends from
birth to death, forming one complete temporal cycle—for example, approximately
one hundred years.
Each generation is followed by the next, producing
a continuous sequence of individual life cycles. This constitutes one-dimensional
human time, represented by the x-axis (Figure 9-2).
Now consider time from a higher level.
If humanity is regarded collectively as the object
of study, then human populations also possess life cycles. Individual people
cannot directly perceive such cycles, but history and fossil evidence suggest
that numerous human groups have appeared and later disappeared.
Small ethnic groups may survive for only several
centuries, whereas large civilizations may endure for tens of thousands of
years. In China, for example, many different ethnic groups once coexisted. Over
time, however, the Han population gradually assimilated many of them, while
historically powerful peoples such as the Khitans eventually vanished.
According to the framework proposed in this book,
humanity may ultimately converge toward only a few highly developed cultural
traditions characterized by openness, innovation, and adaptability, while less
adaptive cultures gradually disappear.
Observing today's world, one may already identify
which cultural traditions appear to be expanding and which seem to be
declining. Ancient civilizations possess long histories, yet if they become
overly conservative and resistant to change, they may eventually lose vitality.
From the author's perspective, today's world is
largely represented by two major cultural traditions. One is the Western
civilization based primarily on phonetic writing systems (including the Arabic
civilization of the Middle East), while the other is the Eastern civilization
based primarily on logographic writing systems (including hybrid writing
cultures such as Korea and Japan). Within the Universal Law framework, these
two traditions represent complementary aspects of reality.
As cultural exchange, technological integration,
and intermarriage continue, humanity may eventually evolve toward a single
global civilization—or even a unified human community.
This evolutionary timescale represents two-dimensional
human time, corresponding to the y-axis (Figure 9-3).
Figure 9-3
Two-Dimensional Time of Human Populations
Finally, humanity itself—from its emergence to its
eventual disappearance—forms an even larger temporal cycle.
The earliest known human fossils were discovered in
Africa and date back more than one million years.
According to the evolutionary interpretation
proposed here, early humans possessed relatively small skulls and bodies.
During evolution, both increased in size, representing an expansive phase. In
the distant future, humanity may evolve toward relatively larger brains and
smaller bodies, reflecting a contraction phase analogous to the cyclic
evolution proposed for the universe.
This represents three-dimensional human time,
corresponding to the z-axis (Figure 9-4).
Figure 9-4
Three-Dimensional Human Time
Dinosaurs provide another useful illustration.
The lifespan of an individual dinosaur represents
one-dimensional time.
The evolutionary history of a dinosaur lineage—for
example, pterosaurs or sauropods—represents two-dimensional time.
The complete history of all dinosaurs, from their
origin to their extinction, represents three-dimensional time.
Today, the entire dinosaur clade has disappeared,
illustrating the completion of a three-dimensional temporal cycle.
3.2 Earth
The same hierarchy can be applied to life on Earth.
The life of an individual organism represents one-dimensional
time.
The evolutionary history of a biological
species—for example, dogs or cats—represents two-dimensional time.
The history of all life on Earth—from the earliest
multicellular organisms approximately 600 million years ago to the eventual
disappearance of terrestrial life—constitutes three-dimensional time.
3.3 The Milky Way
The same temporal framework can also be applied on
a galactic scale.
Stars such as the Sun are the fundamental
constituents of the Milky Way.
The Sun's life—from stellar nebula to white dwarf
and ultimately black dwarf—constitutes its one-dimensional temporal cycle,
represented by the x-axis.
Figure 9-5
One-Dimensional Time of the Sun
The collective evolution of stellar populations,
regardless of stellar mass, forms the two-dimensional temporal cycle of
stars, represented by the y-axis.
Figure 9-6
Two-Dimensional Time of Stellar Populations
The complete life cycle of the Milky Way—from its
formation to its eventual disappearance—constitutes its three-dimensional
temporal cycle, represented by the z-axis.
Figure 9-7
Three-Dimensional Time of the Milky Way
Likewise, the temporal coordinate system may be
extended even further by taking the center of the universe as the reference
scale.
4. Units
of Spatial Cycles and Temporal Cycles
Consider Earth as an example.
Spatial measurements may use kilometers as the
basic unit. All three spatial dimensions extend outward using the same spatial
unit. This equal-unit extension is referred to here as a spatial cycle unit.
Time follows a similar principle. Instead of
distance, however, the fundamental unit is a complete temporal cycle.
Each temporal dimension extends using equal cycle units, forming what this book
calls a temporal cycle unit.
For example, for humanity:
- one
cycle along the x-axis may be approximately 100 years;
- one
cycle along the y-axis may span roughly 10,000 years;
- one
cycle along the z-axis may exceed one million years.
Although each represents one complete cycle, the
durations differ enormously.
When studying an individual's lifetime (Tx),
we generally ignore the much longer population cycle (Ty) and the even
larger human-history cycle (Tz). Consequently, our ordinary experience
corresponds to one-dimensional time within three-dimensional space.
Similarly, when studying the population cycle (Ty),
both the shorter individual lifetime (Tx) and the much longer
species-wide cycle (Tz) may be neglected.
Figure 9-8
The Six-Dimensional Structure of Spacetime
Time corresponds to the circle (Yin), while space corresponds to the line
(Yang).
The same reasoning applies to the Milky Way.
Because the temporal scales associated with the x-,
y-, and z-axes differ enormously, investigations at one scale typically neglect
the other two. As a result, our ordinary perception is effectively limited to
one-dimensional time.
5.
Summary
In summary, the conventional spacetime framework
consisting of one-dimensional time and three-dimensional space is
asymmetric and, according to the Universal Law framework, does not fully
satisfy the structural principles represented by ".", "|",
and "O".
It may adequately describe human perception, but
the actual structure of the universe may instead consist of three-dimensional
time and three-dimensional space, forming a six-dimensional spacetime.
Furthermore, if future theories demonstrate that
space possesses ten dimensions—or indeed any number of dimensions—then each
spatial dimension should have a corresponding temporal dimension. Otherwise,
the dimensional structure would violate the symmetry proposed by the Universal
Law.
Within this framework, six-dimensional physical
spacetime and the wave-particle duality of intelligent life are interpreted as
manifestations of a more general Universal Law. This perspective may provide
useful insights toward a unified field theory, while suggesting that physics
based solely on four-dimensional spacetime may eventually require substantial
revision.
John Chang：《Universal Law》（ Chapter 9）（2003-2006）
https://www.amazon.com.au/Universal-Law-civilization-John-Chang-ebook/dp/B0DDCR3F6M/ref=sr_1_2?crid=25DMFUFU1PDYU&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.oTN_JP6JuXxLA-KzECM4EEAF-QckuHFMrj4LPbnycTWA49DHkdNnK8ZbDHl-VI_rqKf_LugI4BAm136-pif1TmEzEED_r0AsYZqFb0rXrJVMaWf61b_BcREIAoEiNW7H_Y5-B3eh2Bbp2E9oFWBKpg.VN2jjVxScD9W6foJMzydHDxNHykY8Di08zjUzcyeUes&dib_tag=se&keywords=john+chang+universal+law&qid=1783634676&s=books&sprefix=%2Cstripbooks%2C222&sr=1-2
Note：
An interesting example concerns three-dimensional
time.
In Chapter 9 of the author's Universal Law (
published between 2003 and 2006 ), the concept of three-dimensional
time corresponding to three-dimensional space was proposed and interpreted
primarily from a macroscopic perspective.
More recently, Gunther Kletetschka proposed
a mathematical formulation of three-dimensional time in the paper Three-Dimensional
Time: A Mathematical Framework for Fundamental Physics (2025), approaching
the concept from the microscopic and mathematical perspective.
Although the two works differ substantially in
methodology, motivation, and theoretical framework, they illustrate how similar
structural ideas may emerge independently within different scientific contexts.
This example suggests that structural concepts proposed earlier may later
receive new mathematical formulations through independent developments.
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