Einstein, Energy and Evolution

Einstein, Energy & Evolution

EINSTEIN, ENERGY AND EVOLUTION

Charles T. McGrath

Since I was a kid growing up Albert Einstein always piqued my curiosity. Not so much for what he had accomplished, but more for his political and pacifist activities after WWII.

Giving way to adulthood I put my childhood musings to bed and down through the years Einstein came to mind only occasionally, generally after an incident resulting in a predicted outcome after many attempts trying to solve the problem, NASA and Saddam Hussein is one example demonstrating the complexities Einstein invokes.

Now, 70 years later, after living a life in compliance (for the most part) with all the rules and regulations dictated by parents, preachers, professors, politicians, philosophers, poets and wives, I, as owner/operator of a small business, retired. Six months later I re-discovered that there truly are twenty-four hours in a day and I kicked back in a brand new strata-lounger (a retirement gift and if one questions the theory of evolution check out the circa. 1960 recliner it replaced), and opened a book I bought years earlier, but given fatherhood and mortgage payments never found the time or space to read, “Einstein – His Life and Universe” by Walter Isaacson.¹

Albert Einstein turned the world of theoretical physics topsy-turvy in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries. Al redefined civilization with a seemingly innocuous equation, E=mc², the most fascinating theoretical equation of modern physics and quite possibly…well, let me continue.

Bear in mind this transpired over 100 years ago and times were

different then. Different to the point that the mere mention of Einstein’s name excused the multitudes from participation in any discussion of his theory, we mortals were beneath the intellectual level of Einstein, and we knew it, even proudly acquiescing to his brilliance. But times change and the most challenging aspect of coming to terms with that fact is that we human beings are the driving force projecting this change. Shit doesn’t just happen.

What struck me early on as I delved deeper into Isaacson’s portrayal of the man and his times was learning that a theory isn’t hypothetical. A theory is a conclusion based on fact, where in my younger days I had held the perception that a theory was just a thought, an idea. My definition of a theory would have been sound in the old days. As recent as three-hundred years ago, theories relating to science and theology progressed at a snail’s pace and accepted as factual only when agreed upon by a significant number of acknowledged contemporaries willing to put their heads on the chopping block for the theorist.

Any theory that went against the dictates of the Crown or Church subjected the theorists to public scorn and even death. Imperial proof was all the empirical proof required to make a theory a fact.

Having helped raise ten children I can imagine all that transformed when one day a wild-eyed pubescent protégé, curious to the point of boredom, peering out from a marbled balcony, pretending to listen to a patron of the Establishment rattling on about the earth being flat, or whose god is greater, questioning beyond restraint the doubting Thomas went out onto the expansive gardens and conducted an experiment testing the Establishments theory. It doesn’t make any difference what the precious little darling discerned because what he did establish was that a theory is the result of experiments and observation. Just saying you had a theory on a better mouse trap didn’t wash any longer; you had to prove your claim and actually build a better mouse trap, and thus was born empirical proof.

An over simplification of course, but after all those years misinterpreting the definition of a theory simplicity reinvigorated my curiosity with Einstein.

I struggled with the narrative describing Al’s obsession with the atom. It seemed to me not unlike a love hate relationship and conjured up memories of my fascination questioning Einstein’s motives years before. Re-reading the narrative a number of times until convincing myself that I understood Isaacson’s interpretation, I was immediately tested.

Certainly I was aware of Einstein’s signature E=mc², even able to recite the recipe: Energy equals mass times the constant squared. Hell, I even know that the constant, in this case, is the velocity of the speed of light. But I wasn’t ready for the intangibles; those problematic elements factoring into making E=mc² work. Stuff like time and space, interdependence and relativity, positive and negative.

Time and space, Einstein concluded, were as relative in calculating solutions as every other factor. Relative to and interdependent upon all the other team members, as it were. But where does time and space fit into E=mc², I repeatedly asked myself. I had a pretty good handle on the relativity/interdependence thing. It’s like a flashlight; the batteries and the bulb are the elements relative and interdependent upon the other in order to produce light. As for the positive/negative factors Einstein claims all matter possess, well, if the batteries work and the bulb isn’t broken the positive result will be light, conversely, if the batteries are worn or the bulb broken the results are negative, no light.

But space and time? Could it be, I wondered, if two centuries earlier Sir Isaac Newton opened the floodgates when he published his theory on gravity, backed with empirical proof, spurring human evolution with advances in science and technology. From that period of time, from Newton to Einstein, humanity through its discoveries in science and technology evolved, all be it incrementally, yet at a more rapid rate than in the past, before that kid challenged the Establishments motives defending myths and fables.

Without the interceding space and time Einstein’s revelations could not had been made, at least not then. Two hundred years after Newton, evolution brought humanity and science together allowing Al the wherewithal to make his discoveries. Sort of like the stars coming into alignment, or being in the right place at the right time…or evolution.

If Einstein’s theory is irrefutable, that all matter is relative and interdependent, and humans being matter, shouldn’t E=mc² apply to human evolution - Evolution equals mankind’s consciousness squared.

Before we came along other matter hooked up in space and time establishing its own evolution, some panned out, others didn’t. The dinosaurs for example, something went amiss in its evolution and ended with their extinction. The dominate factor, dinosaurs, are gone but all the elements making up an evolution are still present, just hanging around waiting for something to factor into establishing a new evolution.

And then one day, after millions of years of different elements bouncing around hitting on each other, up pops humanity. From when it all began to this very moment, we are the creators of the world we inhabit. From Neanderthal to Homo sapiens, from the wheel to Watson, the super computer, we are the designers of who we are, and I

might add that we have done it all ourselves, but then again it is our evolution. And that brings us to mc².

Just as mc² is the recipe for energy so too is mc² the recipe for the human condition. Look at it this way. With all the elements present, time/space, interdependence/relativity, positive/negative, the dominate factor, m, humanity, determines the course of human events. The question arises does humanity evolve along the positive tract, or the negative, which would lead to our going the way of the spotted owl? It all depends on the degree of our consciousness, human awareness, c², and is expressed: E= x+y±z (mc²).

The value of: x=space/time

y=interdependence/relativity

z=positive/negative

m=mankind

c=consciousness/awareness

A side note that would take more time than I’m willing to go into is that each and every element factoring into our evolution and energy has the same activity going on around them to make them what they are. Digest that and you will understand why I choose not to go into detail. That having been said, however, to further illustrate that it is our evolution let’s refer to the equation once again but this time leave humanity (mc²) out; E=x+y±z which reads Evolution equals space and time, plus Interdependence/relativity, plus or minus negative/positive.

But whose evolution is it? It certainly isn’t any of the elements presented. Combined they don’t equal anything that I’m aware of. To get an evolution going you need something to evolve, a subject, a dominate element, a unifying factor as it were, (hmmm?). Inserting humanity into the equation establishes an evolution, our evolution.

With mc² it doesn’t take a stretch of the imagination to see the correlation between the positive/negative applications relative to

physics and the positive/negative application relative to our evolution. It is in what manner, in this example energy, human use of energy establishes the course of human events, an unlimited source of power and/or nuclear weapons, and as a result of observation, history, in the case of our evolution, we can predict the outcome.

Imagine Einstein’s sense of humanity realizing as preparations were being made to drop the atomic bomb on tens of thousands of fellow human beings who would provide empirical proof that mc² applied to human evolution. Just as he realized mc² as the dominate elements factoring into advancements in science and technology so too, he languished, followed human evolution specifically demonstrated in the advancement of weaponry and the decisions to use them; from a rock, to a spear, bow and arrow, on into the nuclear age. Einstein knew reducing mc² to the lowest common denominator those Japanese citizens annihilated at Hiroshima and Nagasaki would provide a micro demonstration of what is to come for us and our evolution if left unattended. (Curiosity leads me to wonder if particle/quantum theory is demonstrated as a result of what happened to those folks in Japan. Al was not comfortable with either theory. But I digress).

E is an aberration in its appeal to mc². Mc² is the universal factor addressing our curiosity, creativity and consciousness, our very existence. In his final years Einstein came to accept that although mc² answers humanities questions, we have not yet evolved to that point in time and space when we will come face to face with its reality.

Granted this is a fairly bold theory. But in our evolution bold theories are an understatement. Try it for yourself. Pick an issue, a cause. Let’s

take world disarmament, okay, D=mc². Disarmament equals mankind’s awareness raised to the realization of a grander world when all nations agree to ban weapons of war and act accordingly. That would be the positive result. The negative result will be nuclear proliferation and development of other WMD’s and, backed by empirical proof, human history, we will eventually use them. And in all likely hood destroy the world as we know it.

How about famine? The world is experiencing food shortages causing global famine and worldwide unrest. How can we resolve the famine crisis? F=mc²: Our total awareness that with expanded efforts using science and technology ensuring land conservation and preservation we would provide staples for all peoples of the world.

Einstein says all things are relative and interdependent and that is demonstrated with Disarmament =mc² to Famine =mc². In a world without military budgets we would have the resources to eradicate starvation from the planet. How much resource you ask? As of 2010 the United States alone has 737 military bases and embassies in 130

nations around the world. Those figures alone raise more questions than they answer.

Your turn. Try disease =mc². How about global warming=mc². Of course solving these issues is dependent upon the positive factor. World disarmament, famine eradicated, disease controlled, climate change stabilized providing a stable and productive environment, all factoring into, through space and time, our evolution ever advancing and expanding. And should we choose to take the negative tract? Well, eventually, through space and time, as Einstein predicts, kaboom.

Mc² can even be individualized as demonstrated in Egypt whose citizens said enough and forced the ouster of Hosni Mubarak in their combined demands for liberty and freedom. For example let’s pretend you have a decision to make, for instance to marry or not. Your equation would read M=mc², Marriage equals my (meaning you)

consciousness raised to a higher awareness. By applying all the elements factoring into marrying; time and space now shared, relative and interdependence upon another, consciousness raised to the seriousness of the commitment. Your decision will be positive or negative depending on what you decide. It’s like weighing the options which we probably do

on a daily biases without even thinking about it. How about having a baby? B=mc². A new job=mc². Even buying a car=mc². Cool isn’t it?

Any negative application will be subjected to mc² as well. A failed marriage for example. It’s really not that complicated. In our evolution all matter is positive or negative, good or bad. Like a coin mc² has two sides.

Consumed with, if not living Einstein’s last years, I came face to face with his final reality and understood his agony knowing he would never realize the grandeur mc² predicted, and wondered, if in the end, our evolution would as well.

The most disconcerting undertaking of all was how Einstein could tell humanity (us) that mc² serves to point out that any condition of being, minus all negative applications, identifies God. Yeah, he was talking about our evolutions propensity seeking a super-natural savior justifying and rationalizing our behavior. In his day and age given the circumstances of war torn civilization I can envision Al practicing in front of the mirror each morning what he knew to be reality and how he would tell anyone who would listen, “Hey, folks, you know all those gods and depots scaring the hell out of us demanding we kiss their asses and die for their cause ensuring their position in a contrived evolution favoring their opulent life style? Sorry, they’re fake; we bought into their claims and made them who they are.

With E=mc² Al understood and accepted the Supreme Power theory and that ‘one god’ truly does influence human destiny. But not gods we have designed, or kings or idols for that matter, these pretenders are automatically disqualified as they have negative applications.

Only one condition, a Supreme Power if you will, predicated solely on positive factors, guarantees the preservation of the human race perpetuating life on earth. Now, through our evolution, from that kid in the old days to Newton to Einstein to knowing what we know today, the Supreme Power is identified and expressed: P=mc². PEACE.

Leaning back against the headrest as I closed the book, my attention was drawn to the large screen television, another retirement gift, hanging from the wall, as a talking head was criticizing home buyers for the economic collapse claiming the banks and lending institutions only afforded the buyers the opportunity to own a home. And, like Al, I wondered. Shortly following a young woman describes being raped and beaten as Muslims attacked and bombed a Christian church in Afghanistan. She was interrupted by a news flash reporting that a ranking member of a political party called for the assasination of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. And I wonder.

Grabbing the remote control to change the channel to the football game the broadcast was interrupted by a news ‘flash’; North Korea had just attacked South Korea with artillery barrages killing four human beings and destroying a village. And, I wonder.

As I got up to let the dog out another news report followed me to the door, Egypt and Tunisia erupted into violent demonstrations as protesters demanding food, jobs and new leadership clashed with government thugs attempting to silence the uprising with guns, grenades and tear gas, shutting down all Internet communications in an attempt to keep the outside world ignorant of what is going on. Easing

back into the recliner I went to the Bears-Packers game, still wondering.

There must be someone, somewhere; I mean there are six billion human beings on our planet. Doesn’t anyone see what Al is telling us? Or am I the only one, and if that is the case, well, suffice it to say, there will be no shortage of fossil fuels in the next evolution. P=mc².

–END-

Bibliography:

¹ “Einstein – His Life and Universe” by Walter Isaacson, Simon & Schuster.

³“The Seventh Decade” by Jonathan Schell, Metropolitan Books.

⁴“The Way of the World” by Ron Suskind, Harper Collins.

²“Einstein on Peace”, Otto Nathan & Heinz Norde, Avenel Books.