the inner workings of the universe

[frostythesnomn]

In school right now, we’re studying control systems. The teacher was using springs and dampers to help us visualise the step response of higher order electrical filters. It would appear that electrical filters and suspension systems react in pretty much the exact same ways, each can be used to accurately simulate the other. I fould it strange that two processes so dissimilar would react in such similar ways. I asked the professor if there was any theories attempting to explain why this would be but he said that he doesn’t know of any.

I find it interesting how this and things like the golden ratio, pi, second order functions seem to show up everywhere in the universe. So I was wondering, is there any physisist, philosopher who has good theories on this stuff?

[KarlGauss]

Welcome to the SDMB!

I can’t answer this very profound question but will add, totally off topic, that what you observed reminds me, in some way, of the beautifully unexpected: e[sup][size=4]iΠ[/sup] = -1[/size]

But, back to your question - I think you may find this famous essay of considerable interest.

[KarlGauss]

Of course, one way of looking at things is summed up elegantly by Bertrand Russell*

Opined by Bertie Russell:

Physics is mathematical not because we know so much about the physical world, but because we know so little: it is only its mathematical properties that we can discover.

*as I discovered at RM Mentock’s site.

[ultrafilter]

@frostythesnomn

In school right now, we’re studying control systems. The teacher was using springs and dampers to help us visualise the step response of higher order electrical filters. It would appear that electrical filters and suspension systems react in pretty much the exact same ways, each can be used to accurately simulate the other. I fould it strange that two processes so dissimilar would react in such similar ways. I asked the professor if there was any theories attempting to explain why this would be but he said that he doesn’t know of any.

Your best bet is to look at the theory of dynamical systems. Fair warning–it’s pretty advanced stuff.

I find it interesting how this and things like the golden ratio, pi, second order functions seem to show up everywhere in the universe. So I was wondering, is there any physisist, philosopher who has good theories on this stuff?

There are plenty of discussions, but most of them seem to be at least a little bit bong-inspired.

[solkoe]

A theory that unifies all four fundamental forces has yet to be found so, I assume, the rules that govern the interactions between matter and energy are extremely complex. There is probably no simple set of rules for the universe.
I wonder how our world would change if things were so simply related but that is for GB not here.

[ftg]

I took a course sequence in “Systems Science” way back when. (Not related to computer systems.) Covered the kind of thing in the OP and a whole lot more.

It now seems to be part of “Systems Theory”. See this link for a start:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Systems_theory

[engineer_comp_geek]

Springs store and release energy. Capacitors and inductors store and release energy. A lot of things that store and release energy all behave in similar manners. You’ll find that similar equations show up in thermodynamics as well.

I don’t think there’s any mystical “secret of the universe” type of connection here. Each of these systems contains a device which “sums” up everything applied to it, and summing up over time is basically integrating.