The following dialog is from my novel, Discovering Love - Chapter 16

"Do you remember the last question that I asked you in my office?" Steve soon broke the silence.

I nodded. "You asked me, 'would the Universe exist without Love?'"

"Right! So what is your answer, Peter?"

"Will there ever be a definite answer possible?" I replied.

"Ah, I got you on this one," said Steve and grinned. "The answer should be obvious to a scientific man. Without Love, that is without the harmonizing quality of Intelligence, the entire Universe would not exist."

"How can you say this with such certainty, Steve?" I said and grinned, as if he was joking.

"I know, what I said is hard to accept at first glance," said Steve. "Equally hard to accept is the evident fact, that we too can't exist without Love. But the more we look behind the scene at the Intelligence underlying the Universe, a harmonizing order comes to light, that becomes evermore amazing and beautiful in its design the more we discover of it. It's bordering on the miraculous, Peter. Since you are not a nuclear physicist, let me tell you a bit about the amazing details."

"What does nuclear physics has to do with Love?" I interjected.

Steve smiled benignly. "As you know an atom is empty space in which a miracle unfolds," said Steve. "As you also know, nuclear physics tells us that the entire Universe contains not a single speck of matter, not even in the smallest part of the smallest atom. You spoke about this when we met in my office. So, Peter, what we see then, is essentially the construct of energy and its forces that have been arranged in a complex array, governed by harmonizing principles without which the Universe simply would not exist."

"Wow! Rewind this a bit and then play it back slowly," I interjected

"As you know, at the center of the empty space that makes up an atom is a grouping of infinitesimally small 'particles' located, that we call a nucleus. This tiny center is surrounded by an orbiting 'swarm' of even smaller particles. Their movement is so fast that they appear to be everywhere at once, creating the appearance of a solid sphere. However we also know that these so-called particles that give an atom its shape don't exist either as solid entities, but are themselves constructs of energy patterns that are known in advanced nuclear physics as, quarks. The quarks are recognized to be essentially fast moving points of energy. You may call them, confetti of energy. Therefore the bottom line is that nuclear physics tells us that there simply exists no such thing as basic matter or basic particles. Everything that we see, hear, or touch, even the world we live in, is but the construct of patterns of energy organized by harmonizing principles that altogether reveal an underlying arrangement by an incredible Intelligence. If one of the harmonizing principles was missing, or was to be antagonistic to the whole, the Universe would have no foundation to stand on. Therefore it wouldn't exist. But it does exist, Peter. It exists as the product of an incredible Intelligence and its harmonizing 'Spirit' that can be termed 'Love.' Outside of this construct there exists nothing. The only basic building blocks in the Universe that can be recognized in nuclear physics are an incredible Intelligence and its harmonizing 'Spirit.' Ultimately, there remains but one. This one is Intelligence reflected in Principle, and its 'Spirit' that is Love."

"Isn't that stretching the envelope a bit?" I interjected.

"Not at all," said Steve. "Let's look at the atom again with your question in mind. As I said the atom's tiny center is called the nucleus. The nucleus is made up of particles that have a positive electric charge, a charge of + 1. We call this kind of particle the proton. At a 'large' distance from it another type of particle is found that has a negative electric charge, a charge of -1, which we call the electron. While the proton at the center remains stationary, the electron is in constant motion, orbiting around the center with such a tremendous speed that it appears to be everywhere. It thereby creates the appearance of solid matter, when in reality there is nothing there but empty space and some particles that are not particles in real term, and which are so small that their minuscule 'size' defies the imagination. For purposes of comparison, think of the central nucleus as a baseball. On this scale the surrounding electron could be likened to an insect that is flying circles around the entire stadium in which the ball is located. The insect would be moving so fast, Peter, and so far away from the nucleus, that this tiny insect would create the appearance that the entire stadium is encapsulated in a solid hard shell.

"Now answer me this, Peter," Steve continued. "Why doesn't the electron that is moving so incredibly fast around and around in its orbit, simply fly away? We all know from experience that anything that is spun around a center wants to fly away by an effect called the centrifugal force. Since this effect reflects a universal Principle, nothing is excepted from it, not even the electron."

"What are you saying?" I interrupted him.

"I am saying that the electron would indeed fly away. Then we would have no atom and no Universe. The Universe would not exist if it wasn't for this harmonizing element of Principle that the Universe has 'invented' that keeps the electron in its place and thereby enables the atom to exist. The harmonizing element of Principle, in this case, is the well-known principle of electric attraction between particles of an opposite charge. All oppositely charged particles in an atom are drawn to each other by the effect of this principle. They attract each other. They have a hold on each other just like the Sun has a hold on the Earth. In the solar system the attraction is by gravity. In an atom an electric force causes the attraction. Evidently the attracting force has been designed in such a manner that it balances precisely the centrifugal force by which an electron would escape from an atom. If any of these two principles didn't exist, Peter, or didn't precisely harmonize, we would not have a single atom in the Universe, and no so-called matter, and thereby no Universe. The Universe would not exist. That's the bottom line"

"So you are saying that the harmonizing Principle is Love?" I interjected.

"I am saying that Intelligence and its Principle is one, and I am saying that its 'Spirit' is Love," said Steve. "We see this 'Spirit' reflected everywhere in nuclear physics. As you might already know, the atom comes in a hundred different 'sizes' according to the different elements that exist. Each 'size' contains a different number of protons in its nucleus, and correspondingly a different number of electrons surrounding it. A carbon atom, for example, has 6 of each, and uranium has over a hundred of each. Can you imagine how crowded it gets in the orbital space in an atom with over a hundred electrons? Wouldn't one expect to have some major collisions occurring in this crowded orbit? Indeed, one would expect that, by which the atom would likely disintegrate. But that doesn't happen, does it? In order to prevent the collisions that would destroy the Universe, the Universe has 'invented' yet another aspect of its all-harmonizing Principle. This aspect comes to light as the also well-known principle of electric repulsion by which particles of like charge repel each other so that collisions cannot occur. However, this very principle of repulsion of equally charged particles, which maintains harmony in the orbit, would create a catastrophic crisis at the core of the atom. There, in the nucleus numerous protons must exist side by side to form the nucleus. They all carry a positive charge. In order to prevent them from repelling each other, the Universe has 'invented' still another type of particle, called the neutron, that has no electric charge at all, which acts as if it were an insulator that fits neatly in between the protons to keep them out of each other's hair so to speak. With this 'invention' incorporated, the core of the atom can now exist in peace. It does not fly apart. In real terms the 'insulator' acts more like a 'glue' of amazing complexity. The end result is that the atom becomes a stable entity that functions literally forever. It doesn't wear out, nor does it ever loose its energy without external causes acting on it. The electrons in this equilibrium just keep on swirling around the nucleus for billions upon billions of years, by which the Universe remains perfectly intact, appearing as a conglomeration of shapes that are in essence simply created out of empty space by a tiny group of swirling electrons and a tiny central core that keeps the electrons in place."

"That's elementary, isn't it?" I interjected.

"Yes, Peter, but as I said, neither of these so-called particles really exists in solid form either. They are created abstracts themselves. And so I put it to you Peter, seeing that this complex of interacting aspects of Principle works so amazingly well that a vast Universe results from it, only one term comes to mind to describe what is happening here. This term is Love. Thus, I would say, Principle is Love. I would also say that Principle is One. There exist no antagonistic aspects in Principle. The Principle of the Universe may have many facets and many aspects, but they are all harmonizing with one-another so that the end result is one universal harmony determined by one Principle. The Universe is not made up of multiple independent principles, loosely connected. Intelligence and its Principle is One, and its 'Spirit' is Love. There are no multiple principles reflected in the Universe, only multiple aspects of one Principle. This takes some getting used to, doesn't it? The reason is that we are not accustomed to think in terms of the singularity of Principle, and with it, the allness of Love."

"But can you really say that harmony is the result of Love?" I interjected.

"I am saying that the essence of Love is reflected in harmony, because harmony is the outcome of Principle," said Steve.

"If that is so, Steve, then we expect far too little for ourselves from Love," I said with a sense of a sudden amazement.

"This is precisely what we have been learning in nuclear physics," said Steve and began to grin again. "The harmonizing Spirit of Love that I have come to recognize is evident everywhere. As I said to you, in the same manner, as a perceived solid atom doesn't really exist in solid form, the perceived solid particles that construct it do not exist either in solid form. They are themselves the construct of fast moving points of energy. The physicists call the construct quarks. In real terms, there exists nothing solid at all. Even the electrons are merely a type of quark made up of fast moving points of energy, and even these don't always exist as such, but become a wave at times, and then reappear in a different orbit. The protons and the neutrons, in turn, are made up of two different types of quarks. These quarks become assembled in different combinations as required for the needed effects to create the so-called particles. The protons and the neutrons are both assemblies of "up quarks" and "down quarks." The "up quark" has a charge of +2/3, and the "down quark" has a charge of -1/3. The sum of the charges of the different quarks becoming assembled makes up a perceived nuclear particle's effective over-all charge. The protons therefore contain two up quarks and one-down quark (+2/3 +2/3 -1/3 = +1) The combination results in a total charge of +1, as I stated earlier for a proton. The neutrons in turn contain one up quark and two down quarks (+2/3 -1/3 -1/3 = 0). The combination results in a total charge of 0. As I said, this is the effective charge of the assembled neutron. In this tiny realm of quarks -- of 'dancing' points of energy -- the construction of the nucleus is being held together by something that is actually much stronger than merely an insulating effect that also acts like glue. It is held together by what is called the 'strong nuclear force.' This is the force that also holds the quarks together. It is one of the four fundamental forces in the Universe, such as gravity, and the electromagnetic force, and the nuclear 'weak force.' The 'nuclear strong force' is the 'glue' of the atomic nucleus. It is acting in such a manner, at the level of the quarks, that their combined effect counteracts the positively charged protons repelling each other."

I shook my head in amazement.

"Of course quantum physics takes us still deeper into the subatomic world, which from a point on can no longer be perceived in diagrammatic terms. It takes us into the world of the photons that are theorized particles that have zero mass, which therefore propagate at the speed of light, but are quantifiable particles of energy that are recognized as the carrier of electromagnetic radiation of all wavelengths, ranging from gamma rays, to X-rays, to ultraviolet light, visible light, infrared light, microwaves, and radio waves. The photon is also recognized to have both wave and particle type properties, interchangeably, in a manner similar to the electron, to fulfill the requirements of the harmonizing Principle of the Universe. The Universe is inconceivable without the photon, though the photon is itself difficult to conceptualize, having no mass, no form, moving at the speed of light, for which it appears to be the determining factor in the first place in its interacting, reflecting the propagating quality of the sea of latent energy that the cosmos is, in which the Universe unfolds. In theoretical physics the photon is a conception that is a part of the Boson family of theorized 'particles' of the super-exotic world of the 'sub-infinitesimal' domain. Another such 'particle' that is perceived in this domain is the 'Higgs Boson' that is deemed to be attached to the protons, neutrons, and electrons, giving them the phenomenon of mass and gravity. Mass and gravity are presently the greatest enigma in nuclear physics, because the protons, neutrons, and electrons, that make up the Universe, should have zero mass as they are themselves but assemblies of points of energy, that are theorized to have no mass. It is also possible that the "Higgs Boson' does not exist and that its theorized effect is merely a casual effect of the organization of the points of energy into the quarks that make up the protons, etc.. In this case the phenomenon of mass and gravity in the Universe can be perceived as a casual quality of organization rather than as particles, just as the speed of light reflects the casual propagating quality of the latent sea of energy of the cosmos. Thus the photons and the Higgs might be just aspects of organizational quality, so that the cosmos of energy becomes translated into a cosmos of assemblies of qualities. Energy then becomes quality, which of course cannot be perceived in a diagrammatic manner. I propose that this is how the phenomenon of Love might ultimately be conceived, as a quality, without which the Universe would not exist, which is difficult to conceptionalize in any diagrammatic manner, but comes to light wonderfully as a quality that is powerfully evident by its harmonizing effects."

"Isn't it amazing how far we moved away from the old concept of solid matter," I said to Steve.

Steve nodded. "As I said, in real terms there is not a single speck of basic matter in the entire Universe. Everything that we call matter exists entirely as patterns of quanta of energy in motion that might ultimately be nothing more than organizational qualities, all intelligently arranged according to harmonizing aspects of a unifying universal Principle. Even the electrons that give the physical Universe its shape are quark-like structures of energy in motion that constantly oscillate between being a wave and their functioning as a particle, thereby fulfilling a vital purpose in the all-harmonizing flow as they interact with other electrons from other sources, or from other atoms, to create the vast world of elements, isotopes, and chemical molecules that make up the worlds, the stars, and all life. The electrons furnish the interface in the stuff that the stars and worlds are made of and all life. It is infinitely more correct, therefore, to say that the Universe is a Universe of Intelligence, than to say that it is a Universe of simply matter. The bottom line is, Peter, that the entire Universe is nothing more than a construction of extremely intelligently arranged harmonizing aspects of Principle, without which the Universe would simply not exist."

"There would be no Universe," said Ushi from the good room.

"We also know that the 'Spirit' of the harmonizing effect that is inherent in Principle, that is its quality, such as we find it expressed in the atomic and sub-atomic world, is also apparent at every level of the Universe in ever-widening spheres, all the way to the functioning of entire galaxies, and clusters of galaxies, and groups of clusters of galaxies."

"Of course what is reflected in the Universe is also reflected in us," said Ushi, "with us being a part of the Universe and an element of the quality that is reflected in it. It stands to reason that the all-harmonizing and all-pervading Intelligence that powers the Universe, or actually IS the Universe, must be reflected in all mankind, and in mankind's humanity. If this weren't so, we wouldn't be a part of the Universe. If, therefore, the Universe is a construct of Love, expressing the quality of the harmonizing Spirit of Principle, then in order to perceive ourselves correctly, we must also see ourselves in the same light."

"Are you saying that since the Universe wouldn't exist without Love, we really can't exist as a society without Love either?" I said to Steve.

Steve just laughed. "Most of the world goes to great lengths to test this theory. Society is determined to prove that it can exist without Love. It is trying to prove that it has no need for a foundation. However mankind's historic experience along this line has been correspondingly catastrophic, hasn't it? One day, society will stop this insanity and accept Love as the Spirit of the Universe and begin to reflect it in their own living. Once Love becomes the spirit of civilization, we will build on the Principle of Universal Love. I think it is not unreasonable to say that this outcome is inevitable, as improbable as this may seem. Of course it leads to some challenges along the way."

"Some challenges, Steve?" I replied. "That's an understatement. The kind of reasoning that is involved would put a face on mankind that supersedes the brightest image for humanity yet imagined. That's a huge challenge to come to terms with."

Steve nodded. "It puts a future before us that is not encumbered with historically accepted limits, but reflects the nature of infinity that is the nature of the Universe, that reflects its continuous and harmonious unfolding that we are a part of. But I like to suggest that the challenge is not unmanageable, Peter. I saw a poster once a long time ago in a church that simply said, 'God is Love.' Now we are saying the same thing in the nuclear physics lab. The harmonizing 'Spirit' of the Intelligence of the Universe is best described as, Love. I can't think of a more correct term for it. Can you?"

"This tells me that we've merely discovered anew, what we have always known," I said to Steve. "Except we now realize that without Love, we simply would not exist, and the Universe itself would not exist without it. So, I would say that Love defines the highest aspect of our humanity. Or might I call it, our 'third sex,' so to speak, the 'sex' of our spiritual identity."

"The highest aspect of our being has to be Love," said Ushi. "With this in mind, ancient wisdom suddenly makes sense, as when the Apostle John declared two millennia ago, 'Without love we cannot see God.' (I. John 4) He might add today, 'neither can we truly see ourselves outside the sphere of Love.'"

"Scientifically speaking there is no 'outside'," said Steve. "This means that every step away from Love is a step away from ourselves towards emptiness, insanity, and want. And by the same token, every step in embracing and reflecting Love, is a step in healing the growing emptiness and insanity, and in stilling the want in the world. It all adds up as a step towards ourselves as children of Intelligence and its infinite Spirit."

"This takes us far beyond the mere atom, to higher-order aspects of Principle and the Intelligence reflected in it," said Ushi. "The Principle of Economics is one of these, that are not reflected in an atom. It is reflected exclusively in human beings. A seed becomes a tree. The growing-process reflects the principle of creativity. Life is a creative dynamism that has its highest expression in the human being, where it is called economics."

"That's a good definition for the Principle of Economics," said Steve to Ushi. He turned to me. "Give me an example of an inefficient and of an efficient economic process," said Steve. "Think of how efficiently our human potential is being utilized in such cases."

"Serving a cup of coffee in a coffee shop isn't exactly a highly efficient utilization of a person's creative and productive capacities," I said cautiously.

"It's a near total waste," said Steve. "The effect of that person's labor is short lived. It is a good example of an inefficient process. Now compare that to the effect of a person's labor in an automated industrial process, as that of a worker in an automobile plant. The benefit from that labor is immense. It provides freedom in transportation for a long period of time, possibly a decade. While there are many factors involved, the high technology automated industrial process vastly increases the productive capacity of human labor. This illustrates to some degree the Principle of Economics. Humanity stands alone in this realm of economics. It maximizes the good resulting from manual action. The utilization of the Principle of Economics enabled the building of a civilization that makes it possible for us to live four times as long as we once did, with greater freedoms, greater security, and a society a thousand times as numerous than the primitive Earth could support by its own resources. We have become creators on a vast scale with cultures that are unimaginably rich."

"We have also created unemployment, poverty, slum living, even homelessness on a vast scale," I interjected.

"That's the result of society stepping away from Love, but it doesn't reflect our potential," said Steve firmly. "Our potential is unassailable. Look at homelessness, it doesn't have to be. There is no need for homelessness. We have the technological and economic capacity to provide free high quality housing for every person that is presently homeless in the world or living in slum conditions."

Ushi raised her hand to stop him. "There isn't enough wood in the world to meet the need just in America itself, not to mention the rest of the world. And who would pay for it?" she interjected.

Steve just laughed. "Who said anything about building wood houses. That's inefficient as hell. You have to cut down trees, haul them to mills, saw them into boards and lumber, then shape and nail the lot together on site, laboriously. Then, a few months later you might have a finished house. And the house, because of the huge labor cost involved in the entire process, becomes so expensive that it takes a family a long time to pay for it all. That's inefficient as hell. Obviously, that's not what I am referring to. I am thinking of automated production of housing, made with the best building material in the world, a material that doesn't rot, corrode, scratch, that is an ideal insulator -- several times better than asbestos -- and which is stronger and more fireproof than steel. And best of all, the material exists in such huge quantities that one could cover the entire landmass of the planet deeper with it, than a man stands tall. The material is called basalt. Basalt is a stone with an extremely fine grain. It melts at 1,400 degrees. It can be extruded into micro-thin fibers for insulation, and be cast into molds to create fully finished housing modules in automated processes. The material exists in surface deposits and is process-ready as it sits on the ground. It doesn't have to be preprocessed for it to be made useful. All you need is nuclear energy for heating the material in an efficient manner. It shouldn't cost more than $2000 to manufacture a house that way. The USA could build these houses by the millions and give them away for free, and it would cost the nation less than it presently spends on a single Air Force weapons system, which is essentially a total waste. For the price of a single bomber system, which has been built to kill people, America could build fifteen million free houses for its citizens, and for the maintenance cost of the bomber system, that would then not be built, society could easily pay for the utility infrastructures, for the free houses."

"You are dreaming," Ushi interjected. "The land costs would make the project impossible."

Steve laughed again. "The desert is free," he said. "America could start in Arizona and New Mexico. Ultimately, land doesn't cost anything. The price that people put on land is artificial. Why would society want to nurture a bunch of greedy slumlords anyway, or greedy landowners? That game ends. Automated industrial production can also be applied to erecting apartment buildings, redeveloping the cities."

"Our cities certainly could stand a major renewal," I said quietly. "What you suggest might indeed happen. I believe the technical aspects are probably already being discussed at your university. I believe that there was a paper published in Novosibirsk about a research project, on this very subject. So, this isn't a dream scene. It appears to be technically feasible, and economically too. But will the money bags allow it to happen?"

"Peter is right," said Steve to Ushi. "There is such a paper. I read it. The project is doable."

Steve turned to me. "This will happen," said Steve. "It is inevitable that it happens. The Principle of Economics demands it, and it enables it. It can't fail to happen, unless we blow the world up first with the weapons of war. Short of that, what I said is inevitable. Eradicating homelessness and slum living is the most powerful boost one can give to civilization. Quality housing is essential for the mental and physical development of society. The greatest treasure that society has, is itself. The creative and productive potential of the human being, is society's greatest asset. This asset needs to be protected and developed. On this path, culture is developed. Unemployment will be history when this happens, and so will empire, war, and poverty. Mark my word, we will see this, Peter. Love demands this to happen. In Love we stand side by side with all of mankind. So it will happen. It will happen on this platform, because it is possible for it to happen. It will happen for this reason, even though it is absolutely essential for the security and the advance of civilization."

I reached my hand out to him. "Is that what you had in mind when you asked me in your office whether the Universe would exist without Love?" I asked and began to laugh. "You flatter me too much if you thought I could come up with this answer. But I think you didn't really expect me to come up with that, did you?"

"I had hoped you would somehow know how important this is," said Steve. "One can always hope. Still, to be honest, you did far better than all the learned masters of nuclear science had, that I had talked to. Most of them had told me that I'm nuts. Speaking of a world without matter as a physicist, that's crazy talk, right? Speaking of the Universe as being nothing more than a construct of harmonizing aspects of Principle, that's even crazier. When I spoke of the Universe as made of two basic elements only, Intelligence and Love, the learned masters of the university suggested that I've gone mad. They would probably have me committed to an insane asylum, if they hadn't respected me otherwise. It is very hard, Peter, for today's scientists to get out off their flat-Earth mode of thinking. And that goes for most non-scientists too. You will find that most people think you are crazy when you speak of the Principle of Universal Love. They think that Love is something small and confined, something that one can reserve for special occasions. It is hard to step out of this box. Of course, now that the box has been opened, the real challenge only begins."

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