What Would the 4th Dimension Be Like?
You wake up one day as a 4th-dimensional being — how would you see the world?
We know:
- A line represents 1-D space (length)
- A square represents 2-D space (length x breadth)
- A cube represents 3-D space (length x breadth x depth)
Slice a line, and you get a point cross-section. Slice a square, and you get a line cross-section. Slice a cuboid, and you get a rectangular cross-section.
BUT WAIT! A 3-D object like a cuboid is NOT a stack of 2-D rectangles because 2-D has no depth. No matter how many 2-D rectangles you try to stack, you still get no depth, and therefore, no 3-D object.
A cuboid is formed, however, if we stack several cuboids with infinitesimal (tiny) depth. We can change the depth of the resultant cuboid by changing the number of smaller cuboids used.
So, the moral of that story is: ‘N’-D objects can only be made with ‘N’-D objects, and in the ‘N’-D world, for a given ‘N-1’ — D object, the Nth dimension is variable.
Enter the Fourth Dimension
The 4th dimension is time. To understand it better, let’s call the 4th dimension the ‘time depth’.
In our 3-D world, it is possible to control the dimensions of length, width, and height. In a 4-D world, time isn’t just something we move through unconsciously; it becomes a manipulable element. The changes from the 2-D to the 3-D are analogous to those from the 3-D to the 4-D.
To understand this better, let’s define 2 words whose meanings are exclusive to this article:
- Snapshots: A 3-D photo of our world at a particular time stamp.
- Snapvideos (yeah, I made that up): A 3-D video of our world for an infinitesimally short duration of time (i.e., a tiny time depth)
By stacking numerous snapvideos, we could theoretically construct a 4-D object. This means seeing all the changes an object undergoes over a specific time depth in one glance. Just as we can vary the depth of a 3-D object, 4-D beings can vary the time depth of a 4-D object. They would also be able to access infinite time depths, observing vast periods effortlessly.
Imagine looking at your face in a 4-D mirror. You would see your baby self, teenage self, adult self, and aged self all at once, superimposed into one complex image — a glimpse of a 4-D experience.
For a broader visualization, close your eyes and sit in the middle of your room. Keep your room fixed in space, but let time flow through it. Picture your room’s past — maybe it was the home of a T-Rex, an ocean, your younger self playing in it, or even interstellar space. Imagine its present and future states. Now, superimpose all these moments — what you see, smell, hear, and feel — into one layered experience.
Using everyday objects to illustrate these points can make them more relatable. For instance, how would a 4-D being perceive an apple? They would see its entire existence, from seed to decay, in one view, given that they choose the time depth as the lifetime of the apple.
Imagining historical and future perspectives of landmarks like the Pyramids of Giza or the Great Wall of China, encompassing their construction, present state, and eventual erosion, offers a vivid glimpse into 4-D perception.
Experiencing the Functional Behaviour of the 4th Dimension
Cool, but do you get any superpowers?
Time Travel
While teleportation may not be feasible since we are dealing with a fixed space and a time variable, time travel is a different story. By moving through the layers of 3-D snapvideos, one could choose a particular point to be in and experience linear time as we 3-D beings do.
Mind Reading
While 4-D beings might not be able to ‘hear’ thoughts directly, their ability to see future actions could give them a profound understanding of what a person might be thinking. By observing the sequence of events that unfold, a 4-D being could infer intentions.
Can we trap a 4-D Being?
You decide that you want to lock someone up in a cupboard, yeah pretty much like Uncle Vernon did with Harry Potter, would they be trapped in there if they were 4-D beings? Not really, no.
You can trap a 2-D being in a square, they can’t jump out (into or out of the square’s plane) of it since they don’t have access to physical depth, the 3rd dimension. Similarly, 3-D beings can effectively be trapped in a cube.
When you trap a 4-D being in a cube, however, they can just “jump out” of it by moving to a time when the cube wasn’t around them. To truly confine a 4-D being, you would need a cage that exists continuously from the infinite past to the infinite future. Only such a timeless enclosure could effectively trap a 4-D entity. Also, cupboards won’t do, you would need some sort of an energy barrier. We discuss this below.
The Form of 4-D Beings
What kind of bodies do 4-D beings have? Are they physical like ours?
Consider a spot where a 4-D being resides. If a cat occupied that same spot a few minutes earlier, or if a building will occupy it in the future, it raises complex questions.
Therefore, it’s likely that 4-D beings do not have physical bodies as we understand them. Instead, they might exist as mental consciousnesses or energy forms, maybe somewhat similar to holograms in sci-fi movies, allowing them to navigate the complexities of a 4-D existence without physical constraints.
Experiencing a 4-D world challenges our perception, as our brains are wired for three spatial dimensions and a linear progression of time. Yet, through imaginative exercises and theoretical frameworks, we can start to grasp the fascinating concept of higher dimensions.
Thanks for reading. Cheers!
