TPF : Aether -- the power of nothingness

[Gnomon]

Could aether be the factor that integrates phenomena of quantum mechanics and general relativity, the observation of which would finally provide us with a realist interpretation akin to the one Einstein sought? Can experimental designs and instrumentation ever become advanced enough to register such a medium, and what does current physics suggest about the chances of this substrate existing? — Enrique

In the book I'm currently reading, The Single Simple Question . . ., the author Peter Carter says, "Although scientists no longer use the term, it turns out that there's something like the ether after all. Only the name has been changed to fields". But the concept of "Fields" is just as spooky as the empty-space notion of invisible intangible essential "Aether". He quotes physicist Sean Carrol, "the fields themselves aren't made of anything --- they are what the world is made of".

That's what you might call "an insubstantial substance". But, in my Information-centric thesis, I call it "Potential", which is not a thing, but merely the power to Actualize things. Of course, that's not a scientific definition, merely a philosophical concept. It's analogous to the usual definition of "Energy" --- not as a physical substance, but as an Aristotelian "primary substance" --- the ability or capacity to do work. Which is merely the power to cause Change. We can't define it by what it is, but by what it does.

So, scientists have not been able to do away with the necessity for some kind of potent nothingness. Ironically, that's hardly an empirical "realist" concept, but more like a hypothetical "idealist" notion. We know the Aether must exist in some sense, but we just can't put our finger on it. So, we define it with as-if metaphors.


In physics, aether theories (also known as ether theories) propose the existence of a medium, a space-filling substance or field as a transmission medium __Wiki

In Greek mythology, Aether was the personification of the upper sky, ... thought to be the substance that allowed light waves to travel through empty space.

Empty Space = Free Space = Aether :
Some claim that empty space has no physical properties, but if you eliminate the notions of permittivity and permeability from Maxwell or Einstein's equations, ratios on which the existence and behavior of all fields entirely depends, the theories will completely fall apart. Some believe in the reality of nothingness, that empty space as such is real, and accept that notion as an integral part of their physics, but can't even ascribe any physical properties to it.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/empty-sp ... r-duchesne

Primary Substance :
"Aristotle’s metaphysics of potentiality/ actuality, substance/accidents, matter/ form, essence/ existence, and four causes/ causal powers is increasingly recognized as the framework underlying the physical and biological sciences, . . ."
https://askaphilosopher.org/2019/08/13/ ... -accident/