Evolution of the concept of dimension and potential impact in physics
Philippe F. Journeau · AIP conference proceedings · 2012
We review the evolution of the concept of dimension from Poincaré's "Why space has three dimensions" [1] to Maldacena's "theories predict that the number of dimensions in reality could be a matter of perspective" [2]. We discuss how an apparent three-dimensional space or four-dimensional space-time efficiently accounts of phenomena and makes sense because it reflects our own fourfold cognition. Then, from this relativistic dimensional conclusion, we explain how, conversely, geometry and topology bear useful predictive models at all real complexity levels.