Emily Dickinson Discovered the Uncertainty Principle in the 1800's.

"In quantum mechanics, the Heisenberg uncertainty principle states
that certain pairs of physical properties, like position and momentum,
cannot both be known to arbitrary precision. That is, the more
precisely one property is known, the less precisely the other
can be known."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncertainty_principle


Emily Dickinson (1830-86).

She intuitively understood the concept it appears
some fifty years before it's discovery.


"Perception of an
Object costs
Precise the Object's loss.
Perception in itself a gain
Replying to its price;
The Object Absolute is nought,
Perception sets it fair,
And then upbraids a Perfectness
That situates so far."

http://www.repeatafterus.com/author....ly&l=Dickinson

Most poets will say she wrote second rate children's poems
and such. But he wrote an astonishing 1500 poems, and most
poets/lit majors can barely multiply and divide, let alone
know the first thing about science.

And if there's any doubt she believed there's a physical limit
to precision, then read this blistering commentary about
the 'great minds of science. And the shortcomings of the
'new-fashioned' sciences relying on reducing to parts, instead
of the holistic approach of naturalists, as a means of
understanding Nature.


Their height in heaven comforts not,
Their glory nought to me;
'T was best imperfect, as it was;
I 'm finite, I can't see.

The house of supposition,
The glimmering frontier
That skirts the acres of perhaps,
To me shows insecure.

The wealth I had contented me;
If 't was a meaner size,
Then I had counted it until
It pleased my narrow eyes

Better than larger values,
However true their show;
This timid life of evidence
Keeps pleading, "I don't know."


And why does the modern scientific method constantly
pleads "I Don't know"? Because "T'was best imperfect".

And some 150 years before the science of self organizing
systems, which claims the dynamic interaction between
the 'opposing forces' of constraint and freedom are
the impetus of all order, she easily describes the basic
idea. And in a way which evcen sounds nice rolling
off the tongue.


"Growth of Man -- like Growth of Nature --
Gravitates within --
Atmosphere, and Sun endorse it --
Bit it stir -- alone --

Each -- its difficult Ideal
Must achieve -- Itself --
Through the solitary prowess
Of a Silent Life --

Effort -- is the sole condition --
Patience of Itself --
Patience of opposing forces --
And intact Belief --

Looking on -- is the Department
Of its Audience --
But Transaction -- is assisted
By no Countenance --"




"Each -- its difficult Ideal
Must achieve -- Itself"

3.2 What is self-organized criticality (SOC) ?
"The ability of a system to evolve in such a way as to approach
a critical point and then maintain itself at that point.
http://www.calresco.org/sos/sosfaq.htm




And I wonder why she never became a scientist?


"They shut me up in Prose
As when a little Girl
They put me in the Closet
Because they liked me "still"

Still! Could themself have peeped
And seen my Brain -- go round
They might as wise have lodged a Bird
For Treason -- in the Pound."



And I think this sentiment is common to many
that are interested in science and nature.



"I climb the "Hill of Science,"
I "view the landscape o'er;"
Such transcendental prospect,
I ne'er beheld before!"



Thanks for reading, I only have some 1000
of her poems left to read~




Jonathan



"Touch lightly Nature's sweet Guitar
Unless thou know'st the Tune
Or every Bird will point at thee
Because a Bard too soon --"


http://www.bartleby.com/113/5014.html



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