A question from Rick:
“I wondered what you thought of the Zero-Point energy ideas flying around out there. More of a technical question than philosophical. I have a hard time believing things that I see on all kinds of UFO and conspiracy websites. But, the "fringe" isn't necessarily wrong. I almost prefer the fringe to the status quo.”
Good question Rick. “Zero-Point Energy” refers to the so-called “energy” of the vacuum or “field.” It involves the mysterious “fluctuations” in quantum mechanics. But as you know from reading my “E=mc2” and “Einstein’s Most Important Philosophical Error” papers, energy doesn’t exist. Instead, it is a calculation that describes matter in motion. The “vacuum” or “field” of positivists such as Einstein is nevertheless assumed to contain no matter in motion. The proper use of the word “energy” as a description of matter in motion conflicts with this, so its more confusing connotation normally is used in modern physics. The truth is that there indeed is matter in motion in the “vacuum” or “field.” For centuries, it has been called the “ether.” There is plenty of evidence that the phenomena being discussed around the term “Zero-Point Energy” involves the motion of ether particles. The CBR (cosmic background radiation) is one example in which the “vacuum” of intergalactic space has been found to have a temperature of 2.7K—instead of 0K predicted by Einstein. Temperature is the vibration (or motion) of matter. Thus intergalactic space contains matter: ether particles in motion.
Thus I agree with you that, in this case, the “fringe” is to be preferred over the conventional wisdom promulgated by modern physicists. Whether anyone outside the mainstream will ever be able to harness the motion of ether particles to provide “free infinite energy” is questionable. To transfer vibratory motion from a 2.7K macrocosm, one would have to produce a <2.7K microcosm. I am sure that cooling a microcosm that low would require much more “energy” than it would produce. There may be easier ways to harvest that last 2.7K, but I doubt that. On the other hand, a successful capture of ethereal motion would instantly be the end for positivism. But don’t hold your breath.