Simple question, or is it...

sniff

The forces themselves remain occult qualities. If our physical and mathematical descriptions were equal to the phenomena they describe, then the real meaning of existence could ultimately be expressed in a formula—as Douglas Adams parodies this point, the meaning of life might be “42”!

So: what are the phenomena Millercarbon so succinctly describes?

Ah, there’s the rub! There are many “answers,” but none of them are definitive. And this fact is itself instructive. The “reality” we presume to “understand” in physics is, in itself, necessarily beyond our grasp. To take Shakespeare out of context, there is more in heaven and earth, Horatio, than is dreamed of in your philosophy—or science.

And so, there remains room for speculation, mystery, and the many emotive features we, as audiophiles, are so thrilled by that we’re willing to part with large sums of money to achieve it.

>>>>>English major, right?

djones51

"When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me."

And as we all did, you had the innocence of a child, the open heart of a child, the joy of a child, and the faith of a child. Such a shame that with our passing into manhood, we've put all of that behind us.

Frank

Three quarks for Muster Mark!

I don't recall who said it, but to paraphrase, the most amazing fact about the universe is that we can comprehend it and our place therein.  The universe we observe has rules that can be described by human invented mathematics.  Working scientist don't give much thought to "what is mass".  It's a word that describes phenomena that they can predict and measure.  Only philosophy majors, usually after a few drinks, give a thought about what it is.

Mass. Of course the audio signal in cables and wires has no mass if you subscribe to the idea that it’s an electromagnetic wave. You know, with the mass of photons these days being what it is. Jump on it!

*S* So, in 25 hours and 18 minutes...

Alan Watts to quantum cosmology, with a brief stint of M.C. Hammer.

(At least the word 'audio' showed up...occasionally....) ;)