Why is the Universe Lumpy?

[Harrison Owen]

Why is the universe lumpy? Because it has quantum jitters! Strange item for
OSLIST, but this is a pretty strange LIST! And what about lumpiness? Well,
isn't it wonderful that a blinding flash of homogenous, superheated plasma
spreading out in the moment of the Big Bang to create space and time should
clump and lump? And big clumps and lumps like galaxies and stars, super
novas and tiny galactic splinters like planet earth. Not to mention even
smaller clumps and lumps like you and me. And how did all that happen?

According to Brian Greene, physicist and author of "The Fabric of the
Cosmos", it all began with Quantum Jitters. The silent, majestic clockwork
universe of Newton holds a deep secret. The panoply of the stars which
appears eternal and un-changing as we view the night skies is jumpy at the
core. Well beneath the effective threshold of our feeble eyes, the fantastic
world of quarks and electrons, neutrinos and photons vibrates in fits and
starts. Some have called this a dance, but it is a very odd dance, for no
step is like any other, and every step is indeterminate and unpredictable.
In a word, it jitters.

Who cares? Well we should because the random jitter of some jumpy quark
provided the small chaotic disturbance that initiated the ongoing process of
self-organization. The Cosmic Butterfly flaps its wings to transform the
primal sameness of hot plasma into the variegated splendor of our universe,
to say nothing of the infinite, special diversity of each and every one of
us. At least that is the story as Brian tells it. 

Needless to say, my competence to judge the veracity of the tale is
non-existent. But Brian's colleagues in the exotic world of physics in all
of its various flavors - astro, atomic, quantum and whatever -- appear to be
telling a similar tale. And from my point of view the story is too good not
to be true - more or less. But why tell it here on OSLIST?

You could blame my weird, esoteric, possibly perverted, and definitely
curmudgeonly nature - and I wouldn't argue. But frankly, I hold Mike
Copeland responsible. Several days ago, Mike wrote:  

"You know we are catalysts for a huge cultural shift that is happening in
our world. I firmly believe I need to be living in open space myself if I am
to facilitate in this way. It is very much a case of Open Space starts at
home."

There is little doubt in my mind that we are witness to a "huge cultural
shift." How that will all turn out, and whether we are actually catalysts, I
don't have a clue. But perhaps we can help. The essence of that "help" is
pointed to; I think, in Mike's final phrase - "Open Space starts at home."
But as I thought about this phrase, it occurred to me some addition to his
words might be in order. No question, "Open Space starts at home" but the
real news is that Open Space is all about coming home! As we stand in the
circle inviting the random, indeterminate passions of those who cared to
come, we acknowledge and celebrate the advent of the human version of the
cosmic jitters, the power of chaos loosed by the flaps of butterfly wings.
And once again the eternal force of self-organization does its thing. We add
nothing, we have created nothing new. It is only that we have come home to
what we always were - despite out best efforts to be something different.
It's nice to be home. Thank you, Mike.

 Harrison

Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Drive
Potomac, Maryland   20845
Phone 301-365-2093

Open Space Training www.openspaceworld.com <http://www.openspaceworld.com/>

Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org
Personal website http://mywebpages.comcast.net/hhowen/index.htm
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