Journeys and Star Gazing

One way to contemplate the concept of the fourth dimension is to envision 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.

Now, let us imagine a scenario where there exist beings on this flat, two-dimensional world, whose experiences are confined to the dimensions of 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 certain size and then remains constant until it eventually disappears as the pencil passes completely through the sheet.

To illustrate the passage of time within this context, let us calibrate the pencil into eight segments, with each segment representing ten years. As the pencil traverses the sheet of paper, each segment corresponds to a period of ten years passing 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 are unable to 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 lack the ability to comprehend the existence of a three-dimensional realm.

Perhaps, 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 it be that the signs of aging, such as greying hair and wrinkles, serve as our human equivalent of pencil segments? Is a forty-year-old individual with some grey hair comparable to four segments of a pencil that has traversed the paper’s surface?

However, just as the pencil remains a complete entity even when it reaches the eighth segment, marking eighty years and exits the paper, the inhabitants of the flat world perceive its disappearance. It no longer exists within their confined realm. In a similar vein, 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? Perhaps there is no afterlife, nor a beforelife, but only life itself, transcending temporal constraints.

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 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.