Explaining the Theory of Everything to a Three-Year-Old

Einstein had the vision

The beauty of Einstein’s prediction, that the theory of everything could be explained to a three-year-old, is that this genius already understood how the ultimate model would indeed be easy to explain.

This is an insight that may not be entirely obvious because Einstein, as well as his and our contemporary astrophysicists, are dealing with highly complex information. So what is he saying about a three-year-old?

Einstein was saying that once the theory of everything can be explained to a three-year-old, the theory is so obvious and clearly understood by physicists that shortcuts and metaphors can get used. In essence, the known model can then get ‘dumbed down’ to something so simple any kid can understand it.

That’s where his genius is doing the talking. Einstein did not know the Theory of Everything himself, yet he understood that the ultimate version, the crux of (the) matter, could be explained to a kid once it was known.

— -

Not the final step, but the Grand Unification Theory has been around for a while. This theory was first plausibly explained in 1974 by Georgi and Glashow. The Grand Unification Theory is based on the combination of three of the four fundamental forces in nature — the electromagnetic, the weak nuclear and the strong nuclear forces.

Einstein did not live long enough to see these early beginnings about a final theory. He passed away in 1955. Perhaps he would have made another prediction about gravity fitting in with the other forces had he lived longer. Perhaps he would have seen the theory of everything right away.

— -

Let’s explain it to a three-year-old:

The easiest method is through using images for the forces, metaphors that would make sense to a three-year-old. Women, men, children and families are four groups that can be the stand-ins for the strong nuclear force, the weak nuclear force, the electromagnetic force and the gravitational force.

We all know that women, men, children and families are related, and there is then no reason to explain this metaphor any further. A child can indeed understand all the relationships with ease. By looking at these stand-in relationships, we can get a glimpse of the relationships between the forces and their singular problem.

As mentioned, women, men and children were already expressed in a single theory; the odd one out is families. Here, the brain has to do something special, something different from seeing the connections as found among women, men and children.

The beauty of families is that there is no additional entity and yet we all know that family dynamics are a force to reckon with. We all reserve a special place just for this entity.

— -

All it takes are three groups to get to four groups, with families being the synergistic outcome next to women, men and children. Synergy, of course, is an outcome that is different from the parts. The parts are needed to come to the synergistic outcome, yet no part is identical to the synergistic outcome.

The ultimate outcome exists therefore on two levels, with one of the levels a quasi non-existing level that nevertheless is acted upon. Women, men, and children are groups that contain individuals; the group of families is distinct in that it contains collectives.

— -

Perhaps it is now obvious why physicists had such a hard time finding the connection between gravity and the other forces: When desiring to place everything on a single playing field, the outcome can never be discovered.

A good metaphor for this phenomenon is a match game, played on any kitchen table. Six matches in total are strewn on the table. The question is to create four triangles with these six matches. It appears an impossible task, yet it has a solution nevertheless.

Here is the answer: three matches are placed on the table to create a triangle. The fourth match is taken in the left hand while striking another match with the right hand. The burning match is held against the head of the other match. Yet as soon as it burns, too, blow out the fire. Both matches now stick together.

Use the last match in a similar way, make it fuse with the two other fused matches in such a way the three matches can be stood on their legs on the table. We now have four triangles made from six matches: one triangle is found on the table and three triangles are standing up toward a center, the whole now looking like a tetrahedron pyramid.

When playing the game with the matches flat on the table only, one will never be able to find the solution.

— -

Let’s talk about the painful part. The solution is so simple, it will be rejected by any intelligent physicist. And yet, the simplicity is exactly why it was overlooked.

By declaring gravity the intrinsic force, established simply by being the outcome of the other forces, a theory is proposed that no physicist can refute. Physicists may reject the idea, but refuting is impossible because it is an extremely tight fit.

— -

Currently, Loop Quantum Gravity is making headway, providing promising connections between gravity and the other forces. Yet explaining it to a three-year-old it not among them. Whether Loop Quantum Gravity is indeed brilliant, the trick is still to see gravity as the perfect match to the other forces to discover a completed model. Gravity is not based on itself, it is the result of the other forces that helped create our material universe.

Thank you, Mr. Einstein, for seeing something about the big picture long before all parts were put together.