Scientists Prove Taoist Philosophers Were Right

Ok, so not quite proved, there is a little more work to do; but here goes:

Craig Hogan, a physicist at Fermilab Center for Particle Astrophysics in Illinois is convinced that he has found proof in the data of the gravitational wave detector GEO600 of a holographic universe.

That is a direct quote from a news feed describing a January 15th article by Marcus Chown in New Scientist Magazine. The idea of a holographic universe is a fundamental concept to the Taoist thinkers from ancient times and through today.

The journey of a thousand miles begins at one's feet... - Lao Tsu

There are many philosophers and theorists that have proposed that the universe is holographic. Probably the most noted is Michael Talbot for his work The Holographic Universe. This is one of the fundamental foundations of holistic medicine, and indeed one of the roots of the word itself.

To understand the parts we must embrace the whole, at all levels of understanding. In a nutshell, to fully grasp a thing we must know everything about it including the context and surroundings of that thing, which lead us recursively to needing to see the whole universe in this context.

Do not despair, the ancient Taoist thinkers knew of our dilemma and gave us the roadway out of this quandry.

That saying of the ancients that 'the partial becomes complete' was
not vainly spoken: all real completion is comprehended under it. - Lao Tsu

Like a hologram, the universe can be understood because we are a part of it and to know oneself is to know the universe. This is fundamental of Taoist thinking and, if the discoveries of the Fermilab particle physics lab in Illinois are correct, it is one step closer to being proven.

This is pretty cool stuff and, in itself, another piece of evidence for the ultimate correctness of Taoist thinking.

I will leave you with a few of my favorite quotes from the Tao Te Ching:

Without going outside his door, one understands all under heaven;
without looking out from his window, one sees the Tao of Heaven.
The farther that one goes out , the less he knows.

To know and yet know we do not know is the highest
To not to know and yet know we do know is a disease.

The highest excellence is that of water.
The excellence of water appears in its benefiting all things,
in its occupying the low place without striving...
Hence it is near to the Tao.

Who can make the muddy water clear?
Let it be still and it will settle, gradually becoming clear.