In “How Long? How Far?” we began to wonder about the different ways we see space and time, and how those aspects of the observable universe come into being.

If the 3-D observable universe was in the thin expanding rubber surface of a balloon (as opposed to the boundary of our two-dimensional  expanding droplet–see “The Experiment” from the Menu) then as the distance from its center of the balloon increases, the distance between the galaxies would increase (This is how the presence of a redshift in starlight spectra “as they recede from us” is interpreted). 

The radius or distance from the center, as in our droplet experiment, might represent time (complexity or entropic state) and the surface area of the balloon might represent space. What we discover as duration increases (air is blown into the balloon) the ability for the galaxies to interact with one another decreases. Energy density between galaxies decreases, so in order to maintain more complex systems  (which require greater durations and numbers of samples to survive) new languages using lower forms of energy must evolve. 

An example of new languages among primitive information exchanges might be the difference in energy density between the language transfer of physical chemistry (subatomic particles), chemistry (molecular bonding), or organic chemistry (with the much smaller van de Waal forces (energy/information exchanges) between macromolecules).

This brings up the problem of virtual versus real.  Is our universe virtual or real? When a new language is born of a lower potential for information transfer in the observable universe, is the virtual symbolism and the original manifested component (what we call “the real”) connected?  

Are our thoughts connected to what we consider real?  Is the word “Love” connected to the feeling that love evokes?

This wonderment leads to the comparison of the ideas of “virtual” with “real” and then the pursuit of any connection between the two.