Category Archives: Postulate Mechanics

PM Chapter 2: Sensing the Universe

Reference: Postulate Mechanics (PM)

The five traditional physical senses are sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. The sixth ‘thought sense’ assimilates the sensation from these physical senses.

  1. If there is no prior knowledge, the thought sense advances a postulate to assimilate the sensation. 
  2. As the physical sensations continue to arrive, the thought sense starts to formulate a “theory of universe.”
  3. The word “universe” implies the assimilation of all sensations into oneness of harmony, consistency and continuity.

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The Postulates

The universe can be sensed and known; therefore, the first postulate is: SUBSTANTIALITY. This is the ‘sat’ part of the Vedic description of the ultimate reality as “sat-chit-ananda.” This means the universe has substance.

The universe can actually sense and know; therefore, the second postulate is: AWARENESS. This is the ‘chit’ part of the Vedic description of the ultimate reality as “sat-chit-ananda.” This means the universe is aware of itself.

The universe is the oneness of all sensations; therefore, the third postulate is: ONENESS. This is the ‘ananda’ part of the Vedic description of the ultimate reality as “sat-chit-ananda.” This means that universe has the wonderful power of assimilation.

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The Theory

The substance of the universe may be divided into the categories: (1) Matter, (2) Energy, and (3) Thought. Each category has a different degree of substantiality, which may be referred to as “thickness.” It is visible as density, firmness, viscosity, etc.

Matter has the most thickness called “mass.” Energy is considered to have no mass, but it still has some thickness, which is sensed as motion and measured as “frequency.” Thought has thickness, which is sensed mentally as “fixation,” the opposite of which is “freedom.” For example, bigotry and hate has much more thickness than tolerance and love. 

Awareness starts with sensations. Awareness increases as sensations assimilate into perceptions; perceptions assimilate into conceptions; and conceptions assimilate into knowledge. Different areas of the universe have different degree of awareness.

Oneness arises from assimilation of sensations, perceptions, conceptions and knowledge. It appears as harmony, consistency and continuity. The observer (subject) and the observed (object)  are in complete harmony. Bliss, rationality. beauty, health, etc., arise from oneness. The ultimate goal of the universe is attaining oneness.

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Postulate Mechanics

Postulate Mechanics identifies “Substantiality-Awareness-Oneness” to be the fundamental postulate underlying this universe. The reality of the universe follows from this postulate.

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PM Chapter 1: Introduction

Reference: Postulate Mechanics (PM)

Postulate Mechanics is an effort to understand the fundamentals of this universe. Its basic postulates are:

  1. The fundamental impulse is to know.
  2. Effort to know starts with a postulate.
  3. Knowledge comes from assimilation of sensations.

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Unknowable and Knowable

There is a fundamental impulse to know. That means we have an internal awareness of when we know things and when we don’t. When we don’t know things, we postulate them and formulate a theory. Such a theory must have the characteristic of oneness, that is, the characteristic of being consistent throughout.

When there are no postulates and no theory, we have the situation described in The Creation Hymn of Rig Veda.

Whence this creation has arisen
– perhaps it formed itself, or perhaps it did not –
the One who looks down on it,
in the highest heaven, only He knows
or perhaps He does not know.

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Postulate and Theory

Effort to know starts with a postulate. A postulate is a basic assumption, taken as true, which is then used to derive the rest of the theory. For example. To understand relativity, Einstein postulated that the speed of light is a universal constant. He used this postulate to derive his theory of relativity. 

The purpose of generating a theory is to explain and organize what we observe, to unify many separate facts into a coherent model, and to guide prediction, research, and action. 

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Sensations and Knowledge

Our knowledge is essentially our “theory of the universe.” This knowledge proceeds from deciphering of our sensations.  For all practical purposes we are starting out from the postulate of “sensation.”

We perceive all kinds of sensations. We assimilate those sensations into perceptions. We assimilate those perceptions into conceptions. We assimilate those conceptions into a body of knowledge.

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Postulate Mechanics

The purpose of Postulate Mechanics is to assimilate the knowledge that we now have. In Postulate Mechanics we are restoring the consistency of oneness to all knowledge.

For “matter” we have Classical mechanics. For “energy” we have Quantum Mechanics. For “thought” we now have Postulate Mechanics.

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PM 11: Inertia, Motion, Gravity

Reference: Postulate Mechanics (PM)

Inertia is the innate force that establishes equilibrium between substantiality and motion of an object. Gravity is the innate force that establishes equilibrium between substantiality and motion for a system of objects. It is inertia that sets the speed of light to 3 x 108 m/s. It is gravity that sets the pattern of the rotation of the planets and the paths of their movement in the solar system. 

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Inertia and Intrinsic Motion

In classical mechanics, inertia is the tendency to resist changes in motion. This resistance comes from centeredness of an object in space. We know about “centeredness” by observing a spinning top. The heavier is the top and the faster it spins, the more centered it is at a location in space; and the more difficult it is to displace that top from its location. This is the principle on which a gyroscope works.

Similarly, an object of large inertia is more centered in space, and it is difficult to move it around. It is much easier to move around an object of small inertia. Light moves at a high velocity of 3 x 108 m/s because its inertia is extremely small. Light’s velocity is fixed and finite because its inertia is fixed and finite. On the other hand, a material object moves at much smaller velocities because the inertia of matter is extremely large. 

The smaller is the inertia the greater is the intrinsic motion of a particle, or a quantum.

This intrinsic motion is observed not only in case of light but also in phenomenon called Brownian motion. The electrons in an atom are also modeled to have intrinsic motion. The intrinsic motion of larger objects on earth is not so obvious because the forces of friction and gravity are always acting on them. But we may imagine intrinsic motion for objects situated far from earth in free space.

The change in intrinsic velocity can be very precise for change in inertia. This means that the velocity of light may be different for different frequencies, but any such difference can be impossible to measure because of the overall high velocity of light. Similarly, the inertia of a material object may change with change in its velocity, but any such change can be impossible to measure because of the overall high inertia of matter. 

The magnitude of inertia most likely determines the velocity of a particle, or a quantum, in space.

The most fixed object in space is likely to be the black hole at the center of a galaxy. 

Newton’s laws of motion apply only to particles of matter that have high inertia. These laws do not apply to quanta of energy that have little inertia.

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Inertia and Equilibrium

Inertia and intrinsic motion of substance are intimately related as noted above. Inertia not only resists changes in intrinsic motion, but it also maintains the intrinsic motion when no other forces are acting on a particle, or a quantum.

Newton’s laws of motion allow change of motion when external force is impressed, but they do not explicitly state what happens when that external force is removed. Hence it is assumed that the changed motion continues even after the force is removed.

Newton’s first law of motion states:

(1) Every body continues in its state of rest, or of uniform motion in a right line, unless it is compelled to change that state by forces impressed upon it.

This law seems to acknowledge the possibility of intrinsic motion, but it does not clearly state it. 

Newton’s second law of motion states:

(2) The change of motion is proportional to the motive force impressed; and is made in the direction of the right line in which that force is impressed.

This law relates change in motion to motive force impressed, but it does not explicitly state what happens to motion when an impressed motive force is removed. It is assumed that the increased motion continues after the force is removed.

Newton’s third law of motion states:

(3) To every action there is always opposed an equal reaction: or, the mutual actions of two bodies upon each other are always equal, and directed to contrary parts.

This law relates positive action to positive reaction only. It does not relate reaction to removal of an ongoing action.

Postulate Mechanics clarifies Newton’s Laws of motion by explicitly stating that a natural state of equilibrium exists between inertia and motion. 

When the motive force, currently impressed, is removed, the intrinsic motion of a particle, or a quantum, is restored.

We thus have a measure of absolute motion in terms of inertia.

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Inertia and Gravity

Inertia keeps the intrinsic motion of a body in equilibrium with its mass. Similarly, gravity keeps the intrinsic motions of bodies in equilibrium with their masses in a system.

The Moon revolves around the Earth, the Earth revolves around the Sun. There are other moons revolving around their planets, and other planets revolving around the Sun.  All these bodies in the solar system move along their paths in perfect equilibrium. Such an equilibrium is dynamic in the sense that it continually adjusts to changing conditions. This is gravity at work.

The body in the system with greatest mass shall have the greatest centeredness in space. Other bodies shall move relative to it according to their lesser masses, or centeredness. The bodies maintain their individual paths. Any deviation from the paths immediately gives rise to gravitational forces that restore the bodies back to their paths.

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Earth’s Gravity

The objects on earth want to revolve around the earth, but their equilibrium path is less than the radius of the earth. So, they are pushed against the earth. It is actually a movement that is restrained, which gives us our weight. This is not like some force of attraction.

If a body is massive enough to have its equilibrium path just greater than the radius of the earth, then it would appear to levitate above the surface of earth.

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Postulate Mechanics

Postulate Mechanics does not see gravity some force of attraction. Instead, it sees gravity as the natural tendency of a system to dynamically arrange itself such that there is an equilibrium among the masses and motions at all times.

Gravitational forces may arise only to restore the harmony of the system when it is disturbed.

Thus, we see the manifestation of gravity in the dynamic configurations of the galaxies, stars, planets, etc.

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PM 10: Substance, Space, Time

Reference: Postulate Mechanics (PM)

The dimension of Substantiality may be described through infinity of sub-dimensions; but the sub-dimensions that stand out are substance, space and time. 

The most obvious substance is matter. The smallest particle of matter is called an atom. An atom has volume, which determines its space. An atom also has a duration, which determines its time. Therefore, substance (atom), space (volume), and time (duration) are intimately related to each other, though we may study them separately.

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The Substance (Atom)

Atom is a good place to start because it contains the whole spectrum of substance, which is matter, energy and thought.

The real matter is the most concentrated form of substance that constitutes the nucleus of the atom. It is extremely dense, small and rigid. We may call it ‘solid substance.’

Much less concentrated form of substance constitutes the rest of the atom. It is made of electrons that are quite fluid and not that rigid. Since they have motion, we may associate them with energy. We may call this electronic region to be made up of ‘liquid substance.’ 

The interatomic space is filled with least concentrated form of substance, which is referred to as radiation. It is made of quanta that is extremely fluid and has extreme motion. We definitely associate radiation with energy. We may call this interatomic region to be filled with ‘gaseous substance.’ 

The atomic model is the result of a large number of experiments. This model is consistent in itself as well as with all the experimental observations. We associate this model with thought. We may call it the ‘mental substance’ of atom.

Thus, in atom we find the whole spectrum of substance from matter to energy to thought.

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The Space (Volume)

The atom occupies space; therefore, it has a volume. The volume is filled with substance of the atom. Substance and space go hand in hand.

The solid substance of the nucleus occupies a very small volume as it is very concentrated. This is the real form of matter. The liquid electronic substance that fills rest of the atom is much less concentrated and it has a much larger volume. The gaseous radiative substance that fills interatomic region is the least concentrated and it has the largest volume.

The space occupied by substance seems to increase as the concentration of substance decreases. Therefore, energy occupies much greater space than matter because it is much less concentrated.

“Empty space” is empty of matter only. It is not empty of energy. We measure empty space as if we are measuring space filled with matter. This is an anomaly. This anomaly is addressed to some degree by the theory of relativity; but it still needs to be resolved fully. There is also space filled by the mental substance of thought.

Space is actually an extension of substance. Space cannot exist in the absence of substance.

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The Time (Duration)

The stars, the sun, the moon, and the planets appear to be existing forever. Their permanent endurance seems to provide us with the background of infinite time. Against this background we see things moving and changing, that have lesser duration or time.

As the thickness of the substance changes from matter to energy, we observe not only increased volume but also increased motion. Increased motion means that the substance is less fixed in space. In other words, it has lesser duration. Energy has much less time (duration) than matter.

Thought or mental substance also has varying durations, or time. For example, fixed ideas and beliefs have very long durations. In comparison, general attention of a person has much less duration.

Time shows how dynamic a substance is due to variation in duration. Time cannot exist in the absence of substance.

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Substantiality

We encounter substantiality all over the universe. Substantiality consists of substance, space and time. Substance is the main component, and it has extents (space) and duration (time). Space and time vary in their characteristics as the thickness of substance varies from matter to energy to thought. This variation creates this wonderfully diverse and dynamic universe.

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PM Chapter 13: The Divinity

Reference: Postulate Mechanics (PM)

The subject of divinity covers the whole universe, all its dimensions, and all the measures that make up those dimensions. Religion and philosophy attribute infinite substance and infinite space not only to universe but also to divinity. Thus Divinity (God) is identified with the notion of infinity. 

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Infinite Substance

Anaximander (6th century BCE) was the first to associate infinity with substance. He proposed a primordial infinite substance from which all things arise and to which they return. Descartes (1596–1650) argued that only God qualifies as true substance because God alone exists independently of everything else. For Spinoza (1632–1677): God was equal to the one infinite substance, which was equal to the universe itself. He viewed God as nature. Leibniz (1646–1716) similarly said, “[Created substances depend on God, who] conserves them and produces them continuously by a kind of emanation.”

Postulate Mechanics defines substance as anything substantial enough to be sensed. The universe is sensed as matter, energy and thought. At the highest level of thought we have postulates. From these postulates proceed reasoning and reality. These postulates are considered to be the domain of divine. 

Divine is considered to be a higher existence beyond ordinary human life. When we are dealing with divine, or God, we are actually dealing with the level of postulates.

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Infinite Space

Space is where infinity is most immediately apparent and perplexing to human understanding. Archytas (4th century BCE) argued the world is unbounded/infinite because if bounded, one could extend a hand beyond its edge. Aristotle moved the concept away from substance toward magnitudes (continuous quantities like space, time, and numbers), where infinity applies first to measurable extensions rather than to a primordial substance itself.

Descartes saw substance as occupying space. For Spinoza too, space was one with substance. Space was not seen as something separate from substance. Newton (1642–1726) identified physical space with infinite Euclidean space—flat, absolute, and infinitely extended in all directions.

Postulate Mechanics looks at space as an aspect of substance. It is the extent of substance that we see as space. Substance changes in its nature from matter to energy to thought, and so does the space as it is filled with matter, energy and thought. Without substance there are no extents and no space.

What we regard as “void,” to be sensed, must be occupied by rarest of substances, such as thought. You cannot think of void without the thought of void. The limits to void shall be provided by the limits to thought. Here we find the divinity, the gods, the selves, etc.

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The Infinity 

Infinity is the concept of something that is boundless, limitless, or endless—it has no endpoint and goes on forever. It is denoted by the symbol ∞ (a sideways 8), invented by mathematician John Wallis.

Infinity is basically a postulate that is applied to the universe and to its characteristic dimensions, such as, substantiality (substance, space, time, etc), awareness (divinity. God, Self, etc.), and oneness (nature, natural laws, knowledge, wisdom, etc.).

Infinity, divinity and the universe go hand in hand.

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