Journeys and Star Gazing

One way to contemplate the concept of the fourth dimension is to envision the inhabitants of a two-dimensional world confined to the surface of a sheet of paper. In this hypothetical scenario, these inhabitants would be unaware of a third dimension, unable to fathom anything beyond length and breadth. The notion of height would be inconceivable to them, just as our three-dimensional perception might limit our understanding of the fourth dimension.

Imagine beings living in this flat, two-dimensional world, experiencing only length and breadth. If an object were to intrude into their world from “above,” introducing the dimension of height, these inhabitants would perceive it in a two-dimensional manner. For instance, if a pencil were to puncture the paper’s surface, it would appear to them as a minuscule dot, gradually expanding in diameter until it reaches a specific size and then remaining constant until it eventually disappears as the pencil passes entirely through the sheet.

To illustrate the passage of time within this context, let us calibrate the pencil into eight segments, each representing ten years. As the pencil traverses the sheet of paper, each segment corresponds to ten years for the inhabitants of this two-dimensional world. Thus, when four segments have crossed the paper’s surface, signifying forty years, it represents the midpoint of the pencil’s existence. However, the inhabitants cannot perceive the whole pencil, including the portion underneath the sheet and the remaining portion above it. Their limited perspective confines them to observe only the cross-section of the pencil intersecting their world, as they cannot comprehend the existence of a three-dimensional realm.

As beings dwelling in a three-dimensional reality, we encounter a similar limitation in perceiving the whole. Just as the inhabitants of the flat world cannot see the entire pencil but only its cross-section passing through their world, we may also be blind to the entirety of existence. Our inability to grasp the whole might lead us to perceive the past as no longer present and the future as yet to arrive. Could the signs of ageing, such as greying hair and wrinkles, serve as our human equivalent of pencil segments? Is a forty-year-old individual with grey hair comparable to four pencil segments traversing the paper’s surface?

Just as the pencil remains a complete entity even when it reaches the eighth segment, marking eighty years and exiting the paper, the inhabitants of the flat world perceive its disappearance. It no longer exists within their confined realm. Similarly, could humans passing through the three-dimensional world continue to exist within the four-dimensional realm after they cease to be visible, i.e., after death? The potential existence of such a realm is a source of profound wonder and contemplation, inviting us to explore the unknown.

The biblical verses, “And sware… that there should be time no longer” (Revelation 10:6) and “That ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, the length, the depth, and the height” (St. Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians 3:17, 18), resonate with this exploration of the fourth dimension. They inspire awe and encourage us to deepen our understanding and connection with the dimensions that extend beyond our perceived reality, urging us to embrace a broader perspective on existence.

In conclusion, pondering the fourth dimension allows us to transcend the limitations of our three-dimensional perception. By contemplating the possibilities beyond our conventional understanding of time and existence, we open ourselves to new realms of thought and insight. While we may never fully comprehend the fourth dimension, we can embark on a journey of expanded awareness, enabling us to appreciate the profound mysteries that lie beyond the confines of our familiar reality.