I once read that someone who would live in a two-dimensional world (flatlander) could only deduce the existence of a 3rd dimension through (for her/him inexplicable) observations of the type: “I suddenly see a shape appear here (imagine a footprint) and a little further on a little later another such shape, etc.”. Since nothing in flatlands can explain this kind of phenomena, a researcher in that world would have to conclude that there is a 3rd dimension that is not perceptible to flatlanders, but whose existence is objectively required to explain the strange observations. Can someone give me a concrete example of a postulated dimension (in string theory if I’m correct) whose ‘imprint’ is left in our 4-dimensional world?
Thanks in advance.
Dominic
Answer
The existence of more than four dimensions has not been ‘discovered’ in the sense that there is experimental confirmation of it.
Invoking additional dimensions appears to be a very elegant way of avoiding certain incongruities in the context of string theory (and also of other theories).
So the footprints you allude to have not yet been found. It’s not even clear if it will ever be possible. This poses epistemological problems.
Answered by
prof. Christopher Waelkens
Astronomy
Old Market 13 3000 Leuven
https://www.kuleuven.be/
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