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how can someone visualise fourth, or higher dimensions? (kbin.social)

submitted 1 year ago by Narrrz@kbin.social to c/NoStupidQuestions@kbin.social

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can our brains actually learn to comprehend, to envision dimensions beyond the perceptible three? how could you describe higher dimensional shapes in a way that would allow someone to visualise them?

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[–] Poayjay@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

There’s a book called Flatland that you’d like if this kind of thinking interests you. It’s a pretty short and easy read.

Imagine you’re trying to describe “up” to a 2D person. You would have to tell them to move in a direction orthogonal to to what they can comprehend. To them it would be more like moving “inward” or “outward”. Once they are out of their plane it would make sense.

Now imagine being a 4D person trying to do the same to us 3D types. You would need to move “outward” in a completely different direction then we’ve ever headed. It would be orthogonal to our 3 axis. Once we broke free and move in this outward direction everything would make sense.