Here is the paragraph:
>If one wants to summarize our knowledge of physics in the briefest possible terms, there are three really fundamental observations: (i) Spacetime is a **pseudo-Riemannian manifold** *M*, endowed with a **metric tensor** and governed by geometrical laws. (ii) Over *M* is a **vector bundle** *X* with a **non-abelian gauge group** *G*. (iii) **Fermions** are sections of **(Ŝ +⊗VR)⊕(Ŝ ⊗VR¯)(Ŝ+⊗VR)⊕(Ŝ⊗VR¯)**. ***R*** and ***R*****¯** are not **isomorphic**; their failure to be **isomorphic** explains why the light fermions are light and presumably has its origins in representation difference Δ in some underlying theory. All of this must be supplemented with the understanding that the geometrical laws obeyed by the **metric tensor**, the **gauge fields**, and the **fermions** are to be interpreted in quantum mechanical terms.
>
>Edward Witten, “Physics and Geometry”
According to Eric Weinstein (who I know is a controversial figure, but let’s leave that aside for now), this is the most beautiful and important paragraph written in the English language. You can watch him talk about it [here](https://youtu.be/vdW9XDBuxjU?t=3079) or take a deep dive into his [Wiki](https://theportal.wiki/wiki/Graph,_Wall,_Tome).
Could someone (1) literally translate the paragraph so a layman can grasp the gist of it, switching the specific jargon **in bold** with simplified plain English translations? Just assume I have no formal education in math or physics, so feel free to edit the flow of the paragraph for clarity’s sake. For example, something like:
>If one wants to summarize our knowledge of physics in the briefest possible terms, there are three really fundamental observations: (i) Spacetime is a ~~pseudo-Riemannian manifold~~ ***flexible*** ***3-dimension space*** *M*, endowed with a ~~metric tensor~~ **composite list of contingent quantities** and governed by geometrical laws… etc.
And (2) briefly explain the importance of this paragraph in the big picture of physics?
In: Physics
Picture two Parallel straight lines, an inch apart. One of them is time as we perceive it, the other is the actual time in the universe. Space and time are related and effect each other. Now imagine a massive celestial body was outside our solar system, that’s gravity was strong enough to to pull us in. The universal line starts to curve. We perceive time the same, in the straight line. However, our time will not line up with the other line anymore, and the the measurements between the two change, they go from one inch to another size. The maths to work out the new distance follows the same rules as geometry.
Now, picture that in three dimensions, where you won’t have lines, you’ll have 3D shapes that as you approach or go through will change the distance between the two lines.
It’s essentially an over complicated version of how the planet with high gravity effected time in interstellar. The interesting part is that it follows the same rules as geometry.
Eric is hell bent on trying to make this sound like revolutionary science. When in reality it’s more of an “ah, interesting”.
For the record, I believe he’s been refusing to publish this for decades, and refused to speak about it publicly because of the “danger to humanity”.
Keep in mind Eric works for a private think tank in California funded by some very questionable people, who had close ties to Jeffrey Epstein. He goes on Joe Rogan and acts like that frustrated academic striving for a better tomorrow but in reality he is a pawn of the “legacy” media he criticises, and has quite effectively capitalised on Rogans nativity by brown nosing him.
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