Every move you make...

[Viking]

What is it that determines the courses our lives take? Are we bound to some physical laws that we know not about? Let’s say you are rushing to work and just as you are running towards the bus-stop, you miss a bus (or an underground train). If you had gotten moments earlier and made it to the bus or train, your life might (or would) have turned out completely different. There was a movie called Sliding Doors which was quite interesting for it raised questions in the mind of the viewer. The main character (Gwyneth Paltrow) rushes towards a train and catches it. In another trajectory, we are shown how her life would have turned out if she had missed the train. After she catches the train (in one trajectory), she gets home earlier only to find her boyfriend cheating on her. In the other trajectory (where she misses the train) she comes home and her boyfriend is home alone and the movie rolls on these two trajectories parallel...

 

 

Now imagine if you caught the bus/train that you actually missed, you might have sat next to a nice person whom you after a short conversation maybe exchange digits with. This person could have turned out to be your “soul-mate†or at least a spouse that you end up tying the knot with. But since you missed the bus/train, you are left with an array of possibilities (other than the one you missed) that could determine the outcome of your life. If you caught the bus/train, you might have ended up in a brawl which led to you being stabbed or shot and your life might have concluded that morning. That is one outcome of the myriad available if you caught the bus/train.

 

Physicists today offer a similar view of the world through the String Theory (someone who’s familiar with this field can do a much better job explaining the theory, I'll give it a go nevertheless). The theory stipulates (in a much simplified manner) that everything in the universe consists of tiny strings that vibrate, so tiny that it’s average length is 10 to the power of -33 centimeters (or about a millionth of a billionth of a billionth of a billionth of a centimeter). These strings vibrate in nine, ten or even twenty-six dimensions (several dimensions beyond the four, three spatial and time). These vibrating strings are bound by physical laws that are mathematically precise!

 

After making a decision (or taken a certain course) one often wonders, “WHAT IF I had done this or maybe that, WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPENNED?†Just as you missed the bus/train, there are various probabilities of your life (in a parallel) world of how your life would have turned out (or maybe has) in the other dimensions parallel to ours. Am I losing you? I often lose myself thinking of this.

 

 

This theory was used in the movie Matrix (probably the third one) where the main character Neo is talking to The Architect and with every word he says, there are hundreds of other things he “could have said†shown on small screens behind him. If he had chosen to say those “other thingsâ€, then the outcome of the conversation could have been much different depending on how the possibilities available to the other person and how he would have reacted to it. Therefore, outcomes of any decisions or moves we make in our physical lives are determined by a myriad of possibilities.

 

 

Each and every time we move or decide to do something, it affects the outcome. It might start off as a choice, “Shall I take this packed bus or shall I just wait for the next one turning around the corner?†But in reality, these “small†decisions we make consciously (or unconsciously) end up determining how our lives turn out. If you take the first bus, you might be pick-pocketed and you would probably have tried to get back home. Maybe the pick-pocket could have somehow found access to your bank account and robbed you off your life-savings, ruining the plans you had made for the near future. But if you take the second bus, you might get a seat and arrive to work without any major incidents, and that is just one of the possibilities.

 

 

So the ground we walk on is literally shaking with the energy of the vibrating strings, until we can see these vibrations, they remain as possibilities. Options that MIGHT BE, but we don’t know whether they ARE. Our choices, both conscious and subconscious determine how we perceive reality; we are part of this reality and participate actively in the “making†of it through the choices we make. At the end of the day, the path we choose (among the myriad of options we have) becomes our reality. We sort of follow a set of mathematical rules that shape our destiny, a path we take consciously to which every (sane) individual will be held accountable to in the Day of Reckoning.

 

Maybe a slight paradigm shift is required to get the ball rolling and open the mind to the possibiliets that lie at our disposal.

 

Allah SWT knows best.

[juba]

VERY intersting viking. I used to dwell on the "what ifs and what would's" i definanetly learned something new and thats the String Theory.

 

What i didn't understand is how these vibrating strings play into our lives? do they determine if we take that bus or train? and how do mathematicall calculate such a thing!

 

its scary to think our future is determined by what bus we take or what actions we perform.

 

thanks for broadening my horizons

[Laba-X]

Salaam!

 

Viking, This is quite interesting! I actually never wondered about this! But i assume it would be injudicious to say that these minute analogous posibilities determine our future! Yes, the different choices we make everyday determine how we percieve reality and thus shape up our busy daily routines, but i have made it a sort of modus operandi to not bring up these "what if's". As you know that everything is kept locked in the "Lawxun-Maxfuud", don't you think that questioning and wrenching your mind with "what would have happened?" and "What If's". it would prove futile wouldn't it?

[Dhagax-Tuur]

Physicists today offer a similar view of the world through the String Theory (someone who’s familiar with this field can do a much better job explaining the theory, I'll give it a go nevertheless). The theory stipulates (in a much simplified manner) that everything in the universe consists of tiny strings that vibrate, so tiny that it’s average length is 10 to the power of -33 centimeters (or about a millionth of a billionth of a billionth of a billionth of a centimeter). These strings vibrate in nine, ten or even twenty-six dimensions (several dimensions beyond the four, three spatial and time). These vibrating strings are bound by physical laws that are mathematically precise!

 

After making a decision (or taken a certain course) one often wonders, “WHAT IF I had done this or maybe that, WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPENNED?†Just as you missed the bus/train, there are various probabilities of your life (in a parallel) world of how your life would have turned out (or maybe has) in the other dimensions parallel to ours. Am I losing you? I often lose myself thinking of this

....Yes, you've lost me, big time.

 

The idea of us figuring out what might happen if we've done otherwise is CAMAL-U-SHAYDAAN. It is humans trying to ascertain a degree of an unforeseen knowledge to an unforeseen events. And they will NEVER find out what might........if....!

 

Forget it and stick to the QADR and accept its GOOD or BAD. And....thank Allah for both.

 

Allah Hafiz.

[Paragon]

Originally by Viking: Our choices, both conscious and subconscious determine how we perceive reality; we are part of this reality and participate actively in the “making†of it through the choices we make.

The above quotes has the hallmarks of a post-positive (reflectivist) theory . Very interesting assertion.

 

Viking, Lol the problem with the multiplicity of reality or the probabilities of the existence of various parallel dimensions of life, are less useful untill a decission comensing an act is committed. Your topic deals with actions I guess. That said, f only we knew what other outcomes there could be. we could have constructed a better reality. However, since that power can only be possessed by God, we are left committing uninformed acts that constitute what we know as reality. The string theory it seems to me, fails to prescribe the causes of an act but succeeds in describing the motions of an act.

 

PS: When does the string reaction commense, before or after we move?

[raula]

theory or no theory-its best if we believe that All is due to Qadr-Allah -so I concur with ANIGA on these,but I have to say that before I used to dwell on "what if's" too much and these perceptions many times lead to disastrous ends-regrets, depression, trying to correct something that is outta your hands etc.

 

Good read otherwise VIKING .

[Emperor]

Nice article indeed.

 

This topic is as complicated in discussing as it is in doing something about it.

 

Great String theory!!

 

What happens if these tiny string of billions and billions of centimentres would one of it gets a delay and changes its direction??????? Would the whole world gets brown up?

 

I remain amused by the theory

[rudy-Diiriye]

i believe u watch this on pov! it was facinate but strange to say the least!! i dont like science fiction movies, but this show was strange! they were talking about the 11 theories of string theory!! how bizare!!

[Curly]

I see what you’re getting at Viking, it’s very interesting and I loved watching sliding doors, I thought it was the best thought out movie ever. However I believe we should not forget that no matter what Allah decides our fate and destiny. By dwelling on what you could have done differently to stop an event from happening you’re ultimately questioning the existence of qadar…are you not?

 

Viking I have to admit that you lost me when you were describing these strings and their dimensions, and how do they decide or affect our fate?

 

I’ve always had trouble understanding how free will and qadar work in union maybe this “string theory†is the answer. If these strings are predestined routes perhaps then wouldn’t this mean that ultimately qadar is in play with the added choice of which string you choose? (does this make sense?)

:confused: :confused: :confused:

 

 

http://superstringtheory.com/

[Curly]

After reading up on the string theory I would have to say that this string theory does not directly have any connections with qadar or destiny. I think Viking has the theory a little confused; the string theory is in relation to predestined gravitational movements of an object, i.e. a swinging pendulum's path. Physicists introduced this theory and I believe this relates back to "Newton's Laws of Motion" and Einstein’s theory of relativity.

 

I agree that yes the string theory is similar to that of our destiny and fate, for example, that our actions do inevitable initiate a string of actions. Just like the “butterfly effect†the smallest of actions can have a large affect,

Where a butterfly flapping its wings in Tahiti can, in theory, produce a tornado in Kansas.

 

However I don’t think the string theory is directly related to qadar or the freewill of a person, since the string theory refers to the predestined movements or path of inanimate objects or objects that do not have or display any signs of free will.

[Baashi]

Originally posted by Sue:

By dwelling on what you could have done differently to stop an event from happening you’re ultimately questioning the existence of qadar…are you not?

That's what it amounts to. "What if"s is equivalent to the "lowlaa" in arabic right? I too fail to see the connection between the string theory and what we might and might not have done. I thought this theory was an effort to address the short comings of the physics to have unified theory for the natural world. For instance, the relativistic quantum theory is not useful when applied to the cosmic phenomena likewise the classical physics won't do any good in explaining elementary particles. You see there is gab. String theory as bizare as it sounds (zero distance and zero mass is not your typical zero number) seems to close this gab as it formulated the math in a way that quantum theory can deal with gravity. Hope I helped there.

[juba]

Sue

what i don't understand is how is freewill and the string theory connected? and is there a similarity b/w freewill and destiny? (thats what i seem to get from your posts u put the same words together)

 

i understand that string theory does not question Allah's planned destiny for each and everyone of us. Because Allah knows what choices we will make even before we make them. So if we take that bus or go through that door Allah already knows.even if that bus or door changes our whole future. hope i made sense!

 

thanks for the string theory link sue

[Curly]

I see people didn’t quiet see what I was getting at I did not mean to put across this idea that free will and destiny are one and the same, but I believe that yes they are related because all conscious beings display free will, it’s what makes us human.

However qadar is one of the 6 pillars of Iman (faith) therefore this must somehow coincide with free will, and so that is why I was referring to these together Juba.

 

I’ve never been able to explain how this is possible, so I have never given it much thought in fear of doubting Islam. And I was just stating that this string theory does not relate to free will and qadar. The string like theory played out in the movie ‘sliding doors’ is very different to the string theory physicists have proposed as physicists were explaining the predestined gravitational path or movement of a solid object.

I believe Viking was initially discussing the affect of one action predestining a series of events.

 

Which still leaves you questioning this idea that if Allah has predestined those events, then how is it possible that you had free will to begin with? Which I believe leads you on to think things like… if person is a sinner it’s not that this person chose to be sinful it’s because Allah predestined it so. (And of course this is questioning Islam)

 

However the prophet Mohammed (saw) did say and started all his gatherings with this haddith…

 

“Whomsoever Allah guides then there is none who can misguide him and whomsoever Allah leaves to stray then there is none who can guide himâ€

 

:confused: :confused: :confused: I think I'll leave it there! moving on...

 

Anyway, Baashi I think you’re right to not see a connection since there is no connection.

Scientists are forever trying their best to logically explain and categorise everything.

It’s laughable, you should see the equations they have formulated to calculate the probability of events happening i.e. natural disasters and death …these people are bent on knowing what only Allah knows. Isn’t that a sign of godlessness?

[Viking]

What i didn't understand is how these vibrating strings play into our lives? do they determine if we take that bus or train? and how do mathematicall calculate such a thing!

I have understood that the strings have an effect from a microscopic to an inter-galactic level! Physicists in this field believe that there are numerous universes parallel to ours, and they exist right "next" to us. Imagine you sitting by a table with a glass of water in your hand; they say that if you decide to put the glass on the table, there are numerous other (dimesnions; versions of you) doing different things with the glass. These are choices or probabilities that are there, but you only see the one you chose (putting the glass on the table).

 

 

"In Linde's thory, each universe is a unique bubble of space and time equipped with its own laws of physics and its own cosmic history. These other universes may differ wildly from our own, possessing different kinds of matter, different kinds of forces, even different numbers of dimensions," she wrote.

 

Then there is Lee Smolin, a specialist in quantum gravity at Perimer Institute in Canada, who suggests that baby universes constantly "bud" from older universes from the heart of black holes.

 

Of course there is the belief among the occultists that each human, possessing a piece of the soul or God within them, generates his or her own universe from mere existence and thought. We all live in our own unique universe that overlaps and interacts with the universes of the people we come in contact with each day. We also believe that we have the mental ability to shape and change our universes as we choose.

 

I enjoy carrying this concept one step farther. That is to say that each time we make a choice in life, we are, in effect, splitting our universe into two parts. In one universe we take the left road and in the other universe we turn right. We consciously follow the choice that we make and continue on that path. But in the new universe, there is a clone of ourselves following the other path and living out its consequences.

 

With somewhere between six and seven billion people on this planet, all actively generating multiple new universes every day, it is conceivable that Polchinski's impossible number of parallel universes, calculated from the string theory way of looking at things, might be quite right.

 

Source: http://perdurabo10.tripod.com/id553.html

 

 

but i have made it a sort of modus operandi to not bring up these "what if's". As you know that everything is kept locked in the "Lawxun-Maxfuud", don't you think that questioning and wrenching your mind with "what would have happened?" and "What If's". it would prove futile wouldn't it?

Raganimo,

It is indeed futile, but what I'm saying is that if you had made a different choice, the outcome could have been different. If you i.e. studied more, you'd have passed the exam with a better grade. But those "ifs" should be your lesson for the future and not something to grumble upon.

 

 

This post was not about whether things are pre-destined or whether we have the power to control them. A Muslim, I believe that I have a choice and the choices I make will determine whether Allah SWT will reward me or punsih me. Allah SWT has not decided that I will die a sinner or a pious person (this will make Him unjust for punishing me after He has destined hell-fire for me before I was conceived, and we know that He is Just and Merciful). He has given me the choice BUT Allah SWT being the All-Knowing, He knows what I will choose. We usually say that Allah SWT "has writen" after something has taken place, because we already know the outcome.

 

 

PS: When does the string reaction commense, before or after we move?

J11,

I got the feeling they meant it's ongoing

 

 

 

 

i believe u watch this on pov!

rudy,

What is pov?

 

 

However I believe we should not forget that no matter what Allah decides our fate and destiny... Viking I have to admit that you lost me when you were describing these strings and their dimensions, and how do they decide or affect our fate?

Sue,

Allah SWT does NOT decide our destiny, he has given us free-will and he will be rewarded or punished due to the choices we make. Angels are made out of light and they have no free-will. Unlike us humans, they are unable to disobey Allah SWT, that is the reason a pious person is ranked higher than an angel.

 

We make one choice among the array of possibilites we have at our disposal at any given occassion, i.e. you can walk only towards one direction at a time. Only after we have made that choice can we call it Qadr. So if you walk towards the left, then turn right after five metres only to fall in a ditch, that is QADR. You decide your fate, as long as you are sane!

 

 

I too fail to see the connection between the string theory and what we might and might not have done. I thought this theory was an effort to address the short comings of the physics to have unified theory for the natural world.

Bashi,

The String Theory is applicable on every level, from the size of an electron to the galaxies. It is an attempt at getting a "unification"; nevertheless, you cannot just dismiss it.

 

 

Because Allah knows what choices we will make even before we make them. So if we take that bus or go through that door Allah already knows.even if that bus or door changes our whole future.

juba,

Exactly! Allah SWT has given us these array of choices and He knows what we'll choose.

 

 

Sue,

If you re-read the material about the theory, you'll see that they talk about universes parallel to ours and our existence in it.

[Viking]

JC,

Please feel free to help us with these questions on the String Theory