Higher Concepts in Cosmology: Hawking, Hegel and Vedanta
bvijnanamuni
Dear Friends,
Namaste. The questions about the origin of Universe have become a major scientific and cosmological problem today. Recently David James Stewart wrote a book, ‘Truly Infinite Universe’ and made some particularly useful observations and inferences. Some of these conclusions are in line with Vedantic concept of Universe. In this letter we highlight some of these considerations.
Physics is leading towards a Pre-Ontological Multiplicity
Stewart coins a term, ‘Pre-Ontological Multiplicity’ a generic term for the notion of a dynamic and primordial diversity. It is an attempt to name what scientists and philosophers sometimes think is a primordial and nameless unknowable reality, prior to the existence of a fully constituted determined reality. They argue that there must be a chaotic, pre-ontological, virtual fluctuation of a not yet fully constituted real universe. [2]
In cosmology, the flatness problem makes us understand that spacetime is not smooth. Every deviation from flatness can arise only because of some prior deviation from smoothness. This raises the question about how to account for the initial deviation from symmetry.
In cosmology (Physics) negativity (idea of negation, defined in Hegel’s Science of Logic) of the real universe takes the form of a seething quantum vacuum. But here the notion of primordial symmetry is shown to be problematic. This primordial and fundamental disturbance is the very essence of the notion of pre-ontological multiplicity. It is the categorical opposite of the notion of primordial symmetry and therefore absolute nothingness.
This raises an epistemological need for treating this primordial reality within a dialectical system and search for higher levels of the idea of reality through the concept of sublation applied on the negative moments. What Hegel has systematically deduced in his system Science of Logic finds similarity in the findings of modern cosmology and that is reflected in some of the observations in the Hartle-Hawking idea of the universe.
Hartle-Hawking Idea of the Universe
The Hartle-Hawking idea is based upon the uncertainty principle and its application to the cosmological problem. Hawking has argued that there is an impossibility of a uniform and empty space due to the implications of the uncertainty principle. Hegel has also rejected the idea that space can be treated as a box possessing a being-in-itself independently of its otherness. Einstein also considered space as a four-dimensional field – there is no space without a field. For Hegel space is Nature’s self-externality. For Hegel material objects develop out of space but it is not by a random process that they enter space from without. In Physics, the only thing that happens to space is asymmetry and matter is nothing but the curvature of space itself. Hawking concludes that universe must have begun from a minimal possible non-uniformity. This is of-course equivalent to saying that there is an impossibility of any primordial symmetry. The state of Hartle-Hawking universe is a perpetually disturbed universe. [3]
Hegel’s Universe
We may begin in Physics with an idea of something like a primordial state, which is akin to some quantum vacuum fluctuation. But Hegel said Absolute is the infinitely self-related negativity. Modern quantum cosmological theory gives an indirect support to the notion of phenomenology written by Hegel. For Hegel, the universe cannot be apprehended merely by the senses. Hegel says, “God exists in proper truth only in thought and as thought”. [4] Hegel makes a distinction between so called infinity and the true infinity. The idea of finite is related with not only with the question “what it is”, but also “what it is not”. Therefore, it is only in the notion of Spirit (Geist) or Absolute that one finds the true unity of concept and reality. For Hegel both the finite reality as well as Absolute are characterized by restless movement. But the finite is a mere moment in the movement of the Absolute.
Logical Challenges
That universe is fundamentally dynamic can be deduced from even the existence of matter itself. Atoms, molecules etc. are all in perpetual movement of a certain kind. For there to be stars and galaxies, universe in its early stages could not be in a state of perfect uniformity or homogeneity. To counter this idea, one would have to establish how the existence of stars etc. is not indicative of heterogeneity. If one wants to impose an idea of absolute homogeneity and uniformity to the primordial beginning of universe from space, one will have to posit metaphysically an external reality which imposes this transformation upon the primordial reality from the state of homogeneity to non-homogeneity leading to a contradiction and therefore reveals an incomplete ontology in modern cosmology.
The Vedantic Concept
Srila Bhakti Rakshaka Sridhar Dev Goswami Maharaja writes, “There are so many statements on the cosmology of the universe in the scriptures. The Aryans, the spiritually developed men of former times, used to see everything as consciousness. They saw that the shadow is also conscious. The shadow, abhasa, is also considered to be a stage of consciousness. Only through that shadowy stage of consciousness can we come to the material conception of a thing… The soul approaches matter, the material world, but before that, he must pass through a shadowy stage of consciousness called chidabhasa. Consciousness passes through the shadow level of consciousness into matter, non-consciousness. And that shadow stage of consciousness has its personality.” [5]
Conclusion
To solve the problem of Cosmology it is necessary to study the contribution of consciousness in the development of matter. The Vedantic cosmology is essentially based on idea of the movement of the variegated spiritual energy. We need to study the concepts of true infinity, self-determination, Logic, identity and variegatedness from a more wholistic concept to deal with modern problems in cosmological account of reality. Hegel from a Western Philosophical tradition and Vedanta give proper systematic methods to deal with these problems for the benefit of the intelligent and the reasonable section of mankind.
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