Scientific Romances (First Series)Hinton, Charles Howard
Philosophy
Scientific Romances (First Series)
Hinton, Charles Howard
Fourth dimension
Consider how the planes of the cube arise. The square at the beginning
of its motion determines one of the faces of the cube, at the end it is
the opposite face, during the motion each of the lines of the square
traces out one plane face of the cube. Thus we double the number of
planes in the previous figure, and every line in the previous figure
traces out a plane in the subsequent one.
Apply this rule to the formation of a square from a line. In the line
there is no plane surface, and since twice nothing is nothing, we get,
so far, no surface in the square; but in the straight line there is one
line, namely itself, and this by its motion traces out the plane surface
of the square. So in the square, as should be, the rule gives one
surface.
Applying this rule to the case of the cube, we get, doubling the
surfaces, 12; and adding a plane for each of the straight lines, of
which there are 12, we have another 12, or 24 plane surfaces in all.
Thus, just as by handling or looking at it, it is possible to describe a
figure in space, so by going through a process of calculation it is
within our power to describe all the properties of a figure in four
dimensions.
There is another characteristic so remarkable as to need a special
statement. In the case of a finite straight line, the boundaries are
points. If we deal with one dimension only, the figure 1, that of a
segment of a straight line, is cut out of and separated from the rest of
an imaginary infinitely long straight line by the two points at its
extremities. In this simple case the two points correspond to the
bounding surface of the cube. In the case of a two-dimensional figure an
infinite plane represents the whole of space. The square is separated
off by four straight lines, and it is impossible for an entry to be made
into the interior of the square, except by passing through the straight
lines. Now, in these cases, it is evident that the boundaries of the
figure are of one dimension less than the figure itself. Points bound
lines, lines bound plane figures, planes bound solid figures. Solids
then must bound four dimensional figures. The four-square will be
bounded in the following manner. First of all there is the cube which,
by its motion in the fourth direction, generates the figure. This, in
its initial position, forms the base of the four-square. In its final
position it forms the opposite end. During the motion each of the faces
of the cube give rise to another cube. The direction in which the cube
moves is such that of all the six sides none is in the least inclined in
that direction. It is at right angles to all of them. The base of the
cube, the top of the cube, and the four sides of the cube, each and all
of them form cubes. Thus the four-square is bounded by eight cubes.
Summing up, the four-square would have 16 points, 32 lines, 24 surfaces,
and it would be bounded by 8 cubes.
If a four-square were to rest in space it would seem to us like a cube.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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