Re: Relativity and Theories

[Lois Breur Krause <krause@CLEMSON.EDU>]

the degree to which people can mentally visualize multidimensional
events/objects varies considerably.  in my research on individual
differences in cognition, it has become even more obvious that some people
think in words, and have difficulty making mental images, and some people
think in images, and must make a conscious effort to translate their
thoughts into words in order to explain it to someone.

4 dimensions isn't difficult for abstract (image) thinkers.  the 4th d is
time, so make a 3d object and watch it rotate.  more than 4 is increasingly
difficult.  the only time i have been able to do it was with a statistical
application with multiple demographic breakouts.  then you can get into
multidimensional space, trying to figure out how to graphically represent
data analyses. it was great fun!  :-)


> (if
> | you can visualize it, then you should be teaching me).
>
> Just to clear it up, I can't literally "visualize" multiple dimensions, it
> is not physically possible, but it is possible to grasp at some level how
> it would look. If you have ever looked at a hypercube, or hypershape of
> some sort, it is 2d, and you're mind interprets it in 3d. If you draw a 4d
> shape in 3d, but write it in 2d, you can, if you try hard, nearly see it in
> 4d.(if you follow my meaning of representing things on paper). I doubt I
> could teach you very much, aside from useless trivia facts, so don't worry
> :-)
>
> mgtodd@worldnet.att.net
> ICQ: 37233550

> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >

Dr. Lois Breur Krause
Department of Geological Sciences
442 Brackett Hall
Clemson University
Clemson SC  29634

teaching chemistry, physics, astronomy and geology to elementary education
majors.

How We Learn and Why We Don't: Student Survival Guide,
available from International Thompson Publishing, ISBN 0324-011970

http://home.earthlink.net/~breurkrause

krause@clemson.edu