A History of the Aether in Physical Theory: Part V
The State of Modern Physics: Relativity and Quantum Theory
A Summary of the Main Tenets of Modern Physics:

Quantum Theory
  • The nature of light:
  •        Wave-particle duality: light as half photon and half transverse wave of emptiness
    (a wave of a mediumless medium: the vacuum of space).

  • The nature of matter:
  •        Wave-particle duality: matter as half particle and half probability wave
  •        Matter lacks a definite position and velocity in space and time (uncertainty
    principle and statistical nature of measurement).
  •        Matter (electrons) can interfere with themselves, like waves do (double-slit
    experiment).

Relativity
  • 4 dimensions and beyond.
  • Relativistic, not real, length contraction and time dilation.

Forces
  • Matterless "forces" that act instantly over a distance through the vacuum (force of
    gravity, and electromagnetic, weak and strong forces).

Fields
  • "Fields" that are neither space nor matter but affect the latter (electromagnetic and
    gravity).

Origin of the Universe
  • The universe began with a Big Bang, where all matter was infinitely condensed. The
    universe is expanding.
A Question of Logic
  • How can something be two things at one time?
  • How can a wave, a disturbance of a medium, be a wave of emptiness?
  • How can matter exist statically with no definite position in space or time?
  • How can the length of an object depend on the observer?
  • How can the duration of time depend on the observer?
  • How can a particle interfere with itself?
  • What exactly is a force?
  • What exactly is a field?
  • How can matter, which collides with itself, be infinitely condensed into a point of space?

Modern Physicists Answer:
  • Who cares how you conceive of the physical phenomena as long as the math works.
  • Math--the equations--not the physical world, are the reality!
The Conceptual Vacuum of Modern Physics would like to say "Shut Up and Calculate!"