Contemporary "science" is mired in a debilitating fallacy: empiricism-positivism, the idea that no knowledge is certain beyond refutation and that every claim is contingent on highly narrow, particular, and expensive experiments. This treatise, however, provides a thorough refutation of prevalent empiricist-positivist fallacies, both in content and in method. It shatters theories such as Relativity, Quantum Mechanics, the Big Bang/Crunch, the particle/wave view of light, and a host of others, using the proper, axiomatic-deductive methodology of identifying those theories' conceptual flaws and internal contradictions.
As constructive alternatives to these fallacies, A Rational Cosmology presents objective, absolute, rationally grounded views of terms such as universe, matter, volume, space, time, motion, sound, light, forces, fields, and even the higher-order concepts of life, consciousness, and volition. The result is a system verified by ubiquitous observation and common sense, the underpinnings of objective science which demonstrate a knowable, fathomable reality and set the stage for unfettered progress, confidence in reason, and full-scale logical investigation of just about everything existence has to offer.
Edition II of A Rational Cosmology has been amplified with six additional chapters, each of which has been divided into smaller essays focusing on the main issues to consider in developing a rational view of the basic phenomena of existence. There is, furthermore, an appendix which may be supplemented with time, as well as a list of related essays which draw on A Rational Cosmology for their insights.
Original Chapters
Chapter I
The Axiomatic, Ubiquitous, and Commonsense
Essay I: The Errors of Empiricism-Positivism-
Essay II: The Axioms of Existence, Identity, and Consciousness-
Essay III: The Natures and Tasks of Ontology and Cosmology-
Essay IV: The Distinction Between Physics and Cosmology-
Chapter II
The Universe
Essay V: What the Universe is and is Not-
Essay VI: The Universe Cannot Be Created-
Essay VII: A Refutation of Big Bang Theory-
Essay VIII: The Universe Cannot Be Destroyed-
Essay IX: The Requirements for Homogeneous Entities-
Essay X: The Impossibility of the Universe Having a Shape, Boundary, or Edge-
Chapter III
Space
Essay XI: Why There is No Such Thing as Space-
Essay XII:
Space-as-Relationship-
Essay XIII: The Ubiquitous Quality of Matter-
Essay XIV: The Ubiquitous Qualities of Volume, Length, Width, and Height-
Essay XVI: The Euclidean Line-
Essay XVII: Euclidean Planes and Three-Dimensional Constructs-
Chapter IV
Change and Time
Essay XVIII: The Existence of Change and the Necessity of Time-
Essay XIX: The Nature of Time-
Essay XX: Time as a Dimension-
Essay XXI: The Necessity and Nature of a Time Scale-
Essay XXII: Time as an Absolute Quality-
Essay XXIII: Conceptual Flaws in the Theory of Relativity-
Essay XXIV: The Distinction Between Aging and Senescence-
Essay XXV: Why Time Cannot Have a Beginning or End-
Essay XXVI: The Impossibility of First and Last Entities-
Essay XXVII: The Impossibility of a Universe Without Time-
Essay XXVIII: The Independence of a Uniform Time Scale from Physical Phenomena-
Essay XXIX: The Proportionality Requirement for Time Scales-
Chapter V
Motion
Essay XXX: The Nature of Motion-
Essay XXXI: Resolutions to Several Questions Regarding Motion-
Essay XXXII: Continuous and Intermittent Motion-
Essay XXXIII: The Calculus as a Model for Continuous Motion-
Essay XXXIV: The Role of Limits in Describing Motion-
Essay XXXV: Instantaneous Velocities as a Means for Describing Motion-
Essay XXXVI: Differences in Paths of Motion-
Essay XXXVII: Explanations of Special Circumstances Regarding Motion-
Essay XXXVIII: The Accuracy of Calculus in Describing Motion-
Chapter VI
Waves
Essay XXXIX: Waves as Ontological Relationships-
Essay XL: A Refutation of the Particle-Wave Duality of Entities-
Essay XLI: Sound as an Objective Relationship-
Chapter VII
Light
Essay XLII: The Dangers of the Particle-Wave View of Light-
Essay XLIII: Why Light is Neither a Particle Nor a Wave-
Essay XLIV: The Model of the Electromagnetic Spectrum-
Essay XLV: Light as a Direct Relationship Between the Source and the Target-
Essay XLVI: The Compatibility of Observations About Light With the View of Light as a Relationship-
Essay XLVII: The Transmission of Light-
Essay XLVIII: Light's Distance-Dependent Rate of Relationship-
Essay XLIX: Measuring Light's Transmission-
Essay L: Why Light's Transmission Does Not Determine the Motion of Entities-
Essay LI: Why There is No Inherent Limit to Motion in the Universe-
Essay LII: The Dangers of a Universal Speed Limit-
Essay LIII: Color as a Property Intrinsic to Entities-
Chapter VIII
Forces
Essay LIV: The Nature of Forces-
Essay LV: How Forces Originate-
Essay LVI: Why There is No Prime Mover-
Essay LVII: The Model of Force Fields-
Essay LVIII: Why Force Fields are Abstractions Only-
Essay LIX: The Impossibility of Non-Local Effects-
Essay LX: Contradictions in Considering Force Fields as Things-
Essay LXI: The Impossibility of Infinite Force Exertions-
Essay LXII: The Non-Existence of Gravitrons or Other "Force Particles"-
Chapter IX
Mistakes Concerning Infinity
Essay LXIII: Infinity and Existence-
Essay LXIV: The Possibility of Eternal Existence-
Essay LXV: The Impossibility of Singularities with Infinite Density-
Essay LXVI: Why the Universe Has No Finite Age nor Any Age Whatsoever-
Essay LXVII: Why Matter Cannot Be Infinitely Divisible-
Essay LXVIII: Why Space and Time are Neither Infinite nor Finite-
Chapter X
On the Nature and Origins of Life
Essay LXIX: The Possibility of Life's Origins from Non-Life-
Essay LXX: An Evolutionary Explanation for the Origins of Life-
Chapter XI
The Physicalist View of Life, Consciousness, and
Volition
Essay LXXI: Complex Self-Sustaining Physical Systems-
Essay LXXII: Emergent Properties as an Explanation for Life, Consciousness, and Volition-
Essay LXXIII: The Rejection of the Cartesian Dualist Position Regarding the Human Mind-
Essay LXXIV: Life as a Purely Physical Process-
Essay LXXV: How Life Follows the Laws of Physics-
Essay LXXVI: The Consistency of Life's Continuity with Its Physical Nature-
Essay LXXVII: The Consistency of Life's Unity and Subjective Perception with Its Physical Nature-
Essay LXXVIII: The Importance of the Physicalist Worldview to Human Progress-
Chapter XII
The Objectivity of Consciousness
Essay LXXIX: Can We Observe Others' Consciousness?-
Essay LXXX: Perceptual Similarity Among Healthy Individuals-
Essay LXXXI: The Possibility of Knowing Other Organisms' Consciousness-
Essay LXXXII: The Objectivity of Pain and the Nature of Perception-
Essay LXXXIII: The Simultaneity of Conscious Processes-
Essay LXXXIV: Why Physicalism is Not Mysticism-
Chapter XIII
The Implications of Rational Cosmology
Essay LXXXV: Toward a Return to the Enlightenment
Views of Science-
Essay LXXXVI: Contemporary Science's Revolt against Reason and the Enlightenment-
Essay LXXXVII: The Dangers of Scientific Orthodoxy-
Essay LXXXVIII: Why Predictive Power Does Not Imply Correctness in a Scientific Theory-
Essay LXXXIX: The Dangers of Faith in Scientific Experts-
Essay XC: The Possibility of Eternal Progress-
Added Chapters
Chapter XIV
Contemporary Scientists' Faulty Definitions of Matter
Essay XCI: Definitions of Matter: Rational Versus Post-Classical-
Essay XCII: Errors in the Post-Classical Definition of Matter-
Essay XCIII: The Superiority of the Rational Definition of Matter Over the Prevailing Definition-
Chapter XV
Light is Not a Particle
Essay XCIV: Why Experiments Cannot Prove That Light is a Particle-
Essay XCV: Ubiquitous Observations Refuting the View of Light as a Particle-
Essay XCVI:
Observations of Light's Lack of Mass and Volume-
Essay XCVII: Why Spin is Not the Defining
Characteristic of Particles-
Essay XCVIII: The Possibility of Quantifying Light and Other Relationships-
Essay XCIX: The Danger in Reifying Analogies-
Chapter XVI
Light is Not a Wave
Essay C: Contradictions in the View of Light as a Wave-
Essay CI: Why Light Cannot Exhibit Oscillations of Electromagnetic Properties-
Essay CIII: Light Results in Illumination, Not Acceleration-
Essay CIV: Radio Signals are Not Waves-
Chapter XVII
Rational Cosmology and Lasers
Essay CV: The
Structure of the Laser Device-
Essay CVI: Explaining Laser Light Without the
Particle-Wave Duality-
Essay CVII: An Explanation for the Perceived Concentrated Beam of Laser Light-
Chapter XVIII
Polarization of Light Without the Wave Model
Essay CVIII: The Need to Explain Polarization of Light Without Presupposing the Wave Model-
Essay CIX: An Explanation for the Operation of Polaroid Filters-
Essay CX: An Explanation for Polarization of Light by Reflection Off Non-Metallic Surfaces-
Chapter XIX
Transmission Without Travel: The Behavior of Light
Essay CXI: A Refutation of the Universality of Matter Transfer Fallacy-
Essay CXII: Why Illumination Does Not Require the Transfer of Particles-
Essay CXIII: How Light is Transmitted Without Traveling-
Essay CXV: The Impossibility of Seeing No Longer Existing Light Sources-
Appendix
Essay CXVI: Issues Regarding Different Definitions of the Universe-
Essay CXVII: The Possibility of an Absolute Definition of Motion-
Related Essays
Entities and Spatial Continuity-
Five Arguments for the Non-Existence of God-
Praxeology and Certainty of Knowledge-
The Rational Argumentator welcomes your reviews of A Rational Cosmology. You can submit them to TRA by sending them to rationalargumentator@yahoo.com. You are also encouraged to spread the word by reprinting the information on this page or your own comments concerning the book on other media outlets
G. Stolyarov II is a science fiction novelist, independent philosophical essayist, poet, amateur mathematician, composer, contributor to Enter Stage Right, Le Quebecois Libre, Rebirth of Reason, and the Ludwig von Mises Institute, Senior Writer for The Liberal Institute, weekly columnist for GrasstopsUSA.com, and Editor-in-Chief of The Rational Argumentator, a magazine championing the principles of reason, rights, and progress. Mr. Stolyarov also publishes his articles on Helium.com and Associated Content to assist the spread of rational ideas. His newest science fiction novel is Eden against the Colossus. His latest non-fiction treatise is A Rational Cosmology. His latest play is Implied Consent. Mr. Stolyarov can be contacted at gennadystolyarovii@yahoo.com.