Quaternion model of the Universe

[Lord Henry Wotton]

z=a+bi+cj+dk

 

I read some months ago a paper written by a mathematician on his Quaternion model of the universe. I can hardly remember this but do remember it as being fascinating. Since then I have not been able to find it again or anything else on the subject. Can anyone enlighten me on this?

 

Thank You

[AkiraBakaBaka]

Originally posted by: Lord Henry Wotton

z=a+bi+cj+dk

I read some months ago a paper written by a mathematician on his Quaternion model of the universe. I can hardly remember this but do remember it as being fascinating. Since then I have not been able to find it again or anything else on the subject. Can anyone enlighten me on this?

 

Perhaps you were reading the work of Richard Hoagland?

 

http://www.enterprisemission.com/hyper1a.html

 

There is lots of hyperdimensional (quaternion or 4-space) literature on this site. The section in the link concerning the history of Maxwell's equations is excellent. Here's an excerpt:

 

Unless you track down an original 1873 copy of Maxwell's "Treatise," there is no easy way to verify the existence of Maxwell's "hyperdimensional" quaternion notation; for, by 1892, the Third Edition incorporated a "correction" to Maxwell's original use of "scalar potentials" thus removing a crucial distinction between 4-space "geometric potential," and a 3-space "vector field," from all subsequent "Maxwellian theory."... Maxwell's original equations were, in fact, the first geometric 4-space field theory ... expressed in specific 4-space terms ... the language of quaternions!

 

I hope this leads you to what you were looking for!

[Lord Henry Wotton]

Thank You! This is similar. Not quite the one I read, but a very interesting read none-the-less.

 

What I did read a while back was quite absurd, but fun to read. The man suggested that the universe and all of its components could be modelled with quaternions. He didn't use any physics, but pure math. There were no vectors involved but "aspects" of the universe were modelled by I, J and K. He was quite a loony, but fun to read.