24.2 Sub-sub-degrees of the physical

We now go through the exercise, similar to that of Chapter 22, of identifying as many as possible of the sub-sub-degrees of the physical degree. In Table 24.2 we write out the sub-degrees of the physical, from Chapter 19. This whole table is the third column of Table 24.1 above.

Table 24.2: The ennead of sub-sub-degrees within the physical degree. This is just the rightmost third column of Table 24.1, expanded to the next amount of detail.
The phrase “effects on A of B” at all the 3.XY sub-sub-degrees means the “effects on (A of B)", which is the influence on B, in particular the A aspect of B.
The phrase “effects of A on B” at all the 3.X sub-degrees means the “effects on ()", which is the influence on B because the place of B in the physical degree is the same as the place of A in the prior mental degrees.

3: Physical degree actions/effects/results in the body Effects of love on principles: 3.1 lr-1em)1-1 Effects on principles of principles: 3.11 Effects on causes of principles: 3.12 Effects on actions of principles: 3.13 Effects of thought on causes 3.2 lr-1em)1-1 Effects on principles of causes: 3.21 Effects on causes of causes: 3.22 Effects on effects of causes: 3.23 Effects of actions on effects: 3.3 lr-1em)1-1 Effects on principles of effects: 3.31 Effects on causes of effects: 3.32 Effects on effects of effects: 3.33

It takes a little effort to identify these sub-sub-degrees and parts thereof. We are dealing with the final remnants in the physical of spiritual and mental activity, and we do not have established sciences of psycho-physics to help us. However, it turns out that existing theories of physics do enable us to identify five of these nine sub-sub-degrees (3.21-3.32). Furthermore, current speculation in physics and quantum gravity is clearly oriented toward finding physical processes which would lead us to identify many of the remaining sub-sub-degrees, including the range (3.11-3.13) and the final step (3.33), as will be discussed in Section 24.4.

Fortunately we can exploit previous logical and physical investigations. We have at hand already the previous 9-fold of the exterior mind. All these correspond to each other in some manner, by which I mean that, since the mental and physical degrees are both structured in the image of God, we should expect that their interior structures have many similarities. The 3.1 (3.11, 3.12, 3.13) degrees will be discussed later when new physics is suggested. However, physics has already explored considerable detail of the 3.2 and 3.3 sub-degrees and sub-sub-degrees, in particular quantum physics. We must remember that intermediate results are not themselves the ultimate physical events but are more the preparation for such events. They provide, for example, the energy, the propensity or the circumstance for the final events. We are now making connections to the preliminary analyses of quantum field theory in Subsection 5.3.2, and of quantum mechanics in Subsection 5.3.1:

CAUSES (3.2):

1. Effects on principles of causes: 3.21. In the natural degree, the principles of causes are the general principles that guide the natural laws, such as general invariance requirements and more specifically the ’variational principles of least action for Lagrangians’ that provide the starting point for many modern theories. This sub-sub-degree will be influential in the order of principles (3.21) causes (3.2) results (3.).
2. Effects on causes of causes: 3.22. The first result of the variational principles is the dynamic laws which govern the propagation of ‘bare’ particles and quanta, according to formal laws of time evolution. This sub-sub-degree will be influential in the order of causes (3.22) causes (3.2) results (3.).
3. Effects on effects of causes: 3.23. The next effect of the dynamic laws are virtual events of interactions of particles and quanta. These are reversible events whose role is the production of interaction potentials. This sub-sub-degree will be influential in the order of effects (3.23) causes (3.2) results (3.).
   
   EFFECTS (3.3):
   
4. Effects on principles of effects: 3.31. The first effect of the interaction potentials is their interplay with kinetic energy, as expressed by the Hamiltonian operator in quantum physics. The operation of the Hamiltonian is the principle which generates the time evolution of the wave function in the quantum context as a direct consequence of energy balances. This sub-sub-degree will be influential in the order of principles (3.31) effects (3.3) results (3.).
5. Effects on causes of effects: 3.32. The wave functions generated by the 3.31 degree describe physical objects as wave packets. It hence leads to sequences of their behavior by means of a residual propensity for selections that may be probabilistic. This sub-sub-degree will be influential in the order of causes (3.32) effects (3.3) results (3.).
6. Effects on effects of effects: 3.33. The final ultimate events are the selection of actual outcomes from the alternatives within the wave function. How this occurs is the ‘quantum measurement problem’, not fully solved yet; but note that the 2.33 degree (of sensorimotor observations and actions) corresponds with this selection process. This sub-sub-degree will be influential in the order of effects (3.33) effects (3.3) results (3.).

Combining these logical and physical identifications of the nine sub-sub-degrees of the external mind, we can redraw the previous figure as Table 24.3.

The divine source does not produce all these physical effects only directly but also indirectly via spiritual and natural stages that we see as natural dispositions or natural propensities in a ‘trickle down’ manner. That was discussed in Chapter 18. These dispositions or propensities are also known as causes, forces, powers, potentials, quantum propensities. They lead to the ultimate physical interactions and events. The physical dispositions are a very limited ‘remnant’ of Divine power. They operate in a way which is always related and always corresponds to the characteristic operation of the Divine Love: by all the patterns and sub-patterns we have seen above.