The Grand Design

Air, discovery of

Almagest (Ptolemy)

Alternative histories. See also Quantum physics/quantum theory

Feynman diagrams and

Feynman’s sum over histories and

the past and

quantum vs. Newtonian worlds and

universe and

Anaximander

Anthropic principle

strong anthropic principle

weak anthropic principle

Antimatter

Anti-quarks (pi mesons)

Anti-realists

Apparent laws of nature

Aquinas, Thomas

Archimedes

Aristarchus

Aristotle

creation as deliberate design

four-element theory

on no exceptions to natural laws

rate of falling objects theory

reason for principles of nature

use of reason instead of observation

Asymptotic freedom

Atomism

Atoms

hydrogen, Lamb shift and

quarks, protons, and neutrons

strong nuclear force and

Augustine of Hippo, St.

Babylonians

Baryon

Berkeley, George

Beryllium

Big bang theory

CMBR and

evidence of

irregular universe and inflation

as spontaneous quantum event

when it happened

Black hole

Boshongo people

Boson

Brain

laws of science and

model building of

Buckyballs

buckyball soccer

particle paths

Buoyancy, law of

Caenorhabditis elegans

Carbon

as basis for life

creation of, in primordial universe

triple alpha process and

in universe

Carroll, John W.

Cathode rays

CERN, Geneva

Chemistry

Chinese philosophy and mythology

God as Creator

tale of the ten suns

Christianity

creation as deliberate design

John XXI’s list of heresies, science and

miracles

natural laws as obedient to God

notion of free will and purpose

Ptolemaic model adopted by Roman Catholic Church

rejection of indifferent natural laws

Roman Catholic Church acknowledges wrong to Galileo

Clepsydra

Conway, John

Copernicus

Corpuscle theory

Cosmic microwave background radiation (CMBR)

evidence of inflation and

Cosmological constant

Cosmology. See also Universe

“bottom up” approach

grand design and

laws of nature as “fine-tuned”

number of dimensions in the universe

predictions in

“top down” approach

Crater Lake, Oregon

Creation. See also Life; Universe

account in Genesis

big bang theory

empirical evidence of

God as Creator

as godless

of life

M-theory and

myths

origin of the universe

spontaneous quantum creation of the universe

Curvature/curved spaces

geodesics

great circle

Darwin, Charles

Davisson, Clinton

Davy, Sir Humphrey

Delayed-choice experiments

Democritus

De revolutionibus orbium coelestium (On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres [Copernicus])

Descartes, René

Dicke, Robert

Double-slit experiment

buckyball soccer

delayed-choice experiments

Feynman’s insight

particle paths

two-slit soccer

“which-path” information

Dualities

Earth

as center of the universe

cessation of rotation

Copernican model and

creation

curvature of, and geodesics

eclipse and

ether (luminiferous ether) and

gravity and

as hospitable to life

laws of nature and

Mercator projection, world map

orbit

planetary system of

Ptolemaic model and

seasonal weather patterns

speed of

Eccentricity of elliptical orbits

Eclipse (lunar or solar)

prediction of

Economics

Eddington, Arthur

Effective theory

Egyptian creation myth

Einstein, Albert

cosmological constant

on creation of the universe

expanding universe and

general relativity

photoelectric effect

special relativity

on time

on unified theory

on the universe

Einstein’s theory of relativity

general relativity

GPS satellite navigation systems and general relativity

space-time and general relativity

special relativity

Electromagnetic force

bosons and

electroweak force and

light and

Maxwell’s equations

QED and

speed of electromagnetic waves

Electrons

double-slit experiment and

Feynman diagrams and

particle paths

Electroweak force

three new particles discovered

Elegance, of models

Empedocles

Energy

constant zero

of empty space

of universe

Epicurus

Ether (luminiferous ether)

Euclid

Evolution

Faraday, Michael

Fermion

Feynman, Richard (Dick)

Feynman diagrams

Feynman paths

QED and

sum over histories

van owned by

FitzGerald, George Francis

Force fields

bosons

fermions

Fowler, William

Free will

Friedmann, Alexander

Fuller, Buckminster

Galaxies

alternative histories and

cosmological constant and

expanding universe and

heavy elements and formation of

inhomogeneities in universe and

light from distant

number of and stars in

planetary systems of

quantum fluctuations and formation of

Galileo

rate of falling objects theory

Game of Life

blinkers

evolution of a still life

glider guns

gliders

still-life blocks

Geodesics

Germer, Lester

God (or gods)

as causal in nature

creation and

as dice-thrower

first-cause argument

Joshua praying for the sun and moon to halt

as mathematician

natural laws, human statues and

natural laws and

Newton’s belief in God’s intervention

universe as God’s dollhouse

what happened before the world existed?

Grand design

laws of nature as “fine-tuned” and

no-boundary condition and

Grand unified theories (GUTS)

Gravitational waves

Gravity

cosmological constant

cosmological constant and

creation of stars, galaxies, planets

effective theory and

Einstein’s general relativity and

galaxies and

mathematical formulation of theory

M-theory and

Newton’s law of

orbits and three dimensions

quantum theory and

as shaper of space-time

standard model not applicable

supergravity theory

warpage of time and space by

as weak force

Great circle

Greece, ancient

distinction between human and natural laws lacking

Ionian science

laws of nature and

questions of creation and

scientific method lacking

Stoics

“Grimnismal” (The Elder Edda)

Harris, Sidney, cartoons by

Heisenberg, Werner

Heisenberg uncertainty principle

empty space, impossibility of, and

Planck’s constant

Helium

big bang theory and

creation of beryllium, carbon, and

in primordial universe

Heraclitus

Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

Holographic principle

Hoyle, Fred

Hubble, Edwin

Humans. See also Life

creation of, Biblical

definition of living beings

existence relative to cosmic history

free will and

natural laws and

origins of homo sapiens

psychology as study of will and behavior

robot vs.

self-awareness

soul of

written language and cultivation begun

Hume, David

Hydrogen

fusion, in stars

isotopes

Lamb shift and

in primordial universe

Inertia, law of

Inflation theory

irregular universe and

“Initial conditions”

Intelligent design

Interference

constructive

destructive

double-slit experiment

Newton’s rings and

puddle interference

“which-path” information and

Young’s experiment and

Ionian science

Johnson, Samuel

John XXI, Pope

Kelvin, William Thomson, Lord

Kepler, Johannes

Klamath Indians

Lamb shift

Laplace, Pierre-Simon, marquis de

Large Hadron Collider, Geneva

Law of the lever

Laws of nature

ancient Greece and

apparent laws

Aristotle’s errors

changing conception of

dependent on history of the universe

Descartes and

electric and magnetic forces

energy and

exceptions to (i.e., miracles)

as fine-tuned

first recognition of

four classes of known forces

Galileo and

generalizations vs.

God and

grand design

gravity, as first in mathematical language

humans governed by

initial conditions and

Ionian science

mathematical formulation of

mathematical formulation of, first

modern concept of

modern definition

M-theory and

origin of

quantum physics and

rejection of indifferent

soul exempt from

strong anthropic principle and

uniqueness of

uniqueness of (one set of)

Lemaître, Georges

Lieh Yü-K’ou

Life

carbon-based life-form

creation of

definition of living beings

environmental conditions for

existence of

fundamental constants as fine-tuned

God as Creator

Goldilocks zone and

intelligent

multiverse concept and

solar system conditions and

strong anthropic principle

theory of evolution

Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything

weak anthropic principle and

Light

electromagnetism and

interference

Michelson-Morley experiment

Newton’s theory of (particle/corpuscle theory)

photoelectric effect

polarized

refraction

speed of

theory of special relativity and

wavelength and

wave/particle duality

wave theory

Young’s experiment

Lithium

in primordial universe

Lorentz, Hendrick Antoon

Mathematics

development of

laws of nature phrased in

Matrix, The (film)

Maxwell, James Clerk

Mayan people

Mercator projection, world map

Mercury

Meson

Michelson, Albert

Miracles

Model-dependent realism

dualities and

four points of a good model

Game of Life and

meaning of existence and

M-theory and

quarks and

subatomic particles and

vision and

what happened before the world existed?

Monza, Italy

Moon

eclipse of

as gravitational bound system (with earth)

gravity and orbit of

in myth

of other planets

Morley, Edward

M-theory

eleven space-time dimensions of

as grand design

multiple universes and

p-branes

“why M-theory”

Multiverse concept. See also Universe

Napoleon Bonaparte

Neutrino

Neutron

Newton, Isaac

God as Creator and

theories of, limitations

Newton’s law of gravity

Newton’s laws of motion

earth’s rotation and

macroscopic objects and

“the past” and

planetary orbits and

Newton’s rings

No-boundary condition

Norse mythology

Ørsted, Hans Christian

P-brane

Phase

Photoelectric effect

Photon

delayed-choice experiments

Feynman diagrams and

Physics, classical

Archimedes and

Aristotle and

picture of the universe

shortcomings for atomic and subatomic scales of existence

Physics, modern. See also Quantum physics/quantum theories

Feynman diagrams, importance of

theoretical

Planck’s constant

Plato

Pope, Alexander

Principle of mediocrity

Probability amplitude

Protons

GUTS and

rate of decay (lifetime)

Psychology

Ptolemy

Pythagoras

Quantum chromodynamics (QCD)

asymptotic freedom and

Quantum electrodynamics (QED)

Feynman diagrams

Lamb shift and

renormalization and

sum over histories and

Quantum fluctuations

Quantum jitters

Quantum physics/quantum theory

alternative histories

atomic, subatomic scales, and

buckyball experiment and

determinism and

double-slit experiment

for electromagnetism (see also quantum electrodynamics)

electroweak force

Feynman paths

Feynman’s sum over histories

of forces

four classes of known forces

gravity, problem of

larger objects and

observation of system, and alteration of course

origin of universe as quantum event

“the past” and

Planck’s constant

principles of

principles of, and reality

probabilities and

probability amplitude

quantum chromodynamics (QCD)

quantum superposition

testing theories

uncertainty principle

wave/particle duality

Quantum superposition

Quarks

asymptotic freedom

baryons and

colors

mesons and

QCD and

Realism

Reality. See also Model-dependent realism

anti-realists

classical picture of objective existence

five-dimensional space-time

goldfish bowl example

holographic principle

law of nature and

model-dependent realism

multiple histories

objective, question of existence of

“the past” and

Ptolemaic model of

quantum physics and

realists

simulated or alternative

Reference frames

Reflection, law of

Renormalization

Resonance

Salam, Abdus

Schönborn, Christoph

Scientific determinism

Scientific method

Second Life

Singularity

Soul

pineal gland as seat of

Space

curvature/curved spaces

planetary orbits and three dimensions

straws and lines

three dimensions of

warpage by matter and energy

Space-time

cosmological constant

as curved and distorted

as fourth dimension

M-theory’s eleven dimensions

string theory’s ten dimensions

warpage by gravity

Standard model

Stars. See also Sun

explosions (supernova)

mass

Stoics

Straus, Ernst

Strings, law of

String theory

internal space

ten dimensions in

Strong anthropic principle

Strong nuclear force

QCD and

Sum over histories

multiverse concept and

Sun

Aristarchus and

as center of earth’s planetary system

governed by fixed laws

life on earth and

in myth

solar eclipse

strong nuclear force and

three dimensional space and

wavelengths of radiation

Supergravity theory

Supernova

Supersymmetry

Symmetry

System

observation of, and alteration of course

Tempier of Paris, Bishop

Thales of Miletus

Theory of everything. See also Feynman, Richard (Dick); M-theory

electroweak force

grand unified theories (GUTS)

gravity, problem of

M-theory

quantum chromodynamics (QCD)

quantum electrodynamics (QED)

standard model

string theory

Theory of relativity. See Einstein’s theory of relativity

Thomson, J. J.

Time. See also Space-time

beginning of

clock in airplane experiment

special theory of relativity and

time dilation

warpage of

Triple alpha process

Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything. See also Grand design

Ultimate theory of everything. See Theory of everything

Uncertainty principle. See Heisenberg uncertainty principle

Unified theory. See Theory of everything

Universe. See also Creation; Life

age of

alternative histories of

ancient interpretations and celestial predictions

balloon universe analogy

big bang theory

binary star systems

carbon content

classical picture of

CMBR and

Copernican model of

dimensions of

earth as center of

earth’s planetary system

eccentricity of elliptical orbits

Einstein’s general theory of relativity and

elements in primordial

empty space, impossibility of

episode of inflation

expanding model

Feynman’s sum over histories and

gods as causal in

as God’s dollhouse

grand design

gravity and

helium, lithium, and hydrogen in

human-centered

inflation theory

inhomogeneities in

laws of (see also Laws of nature)

M-theory and

multiple (see also Multiverse concept)

multiple-star systems

no-boundary condition

origin of

phlogiston theory

planetary orbits

planetary systems of

Ptolemaic model of

rejection of indifferent natural laws

size of

size of our galaxy

space-time warpage

spontaneous quantum creation of

stars

static or steady-state theory

Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything

Ussher, Bishop

Vacuum fluctuations

Virtual particles

Von Neumann, John

Wallace, Alfred Russel

Wavelength

radio waves

visible

X-rays

Wave-particle duality

Wave theory. See also Interference

double-slit experiment

Feynman’s sum over histories and

interference

phase

Weak anthropic principle

Weak nuclear force

quantum field theory of

Weinberg, Steven

Wheeler, John

“Which-path” information

Young, Thomas

“Zur Elektrodynamik bewegter Körper” (“On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies” [Einstein])

Zwicky, Fritz