Four Dimension

The concept of a fourth dimension is one that is often described in considering its physical implications; that is, it is known that there are three dimensions: length (or depth), width, and height. The fourth dimension is orthogonal to the other three spatial dimensions. The cardinal directions in the three known dimensions are called up/down (altitude), north/south (latitude), and east/west (longitude). When speaking of the fourth dimension, an additional pair of terms is needed. Attested terms include ana/kata (sometimes called spissitude or spassitude), vinn/vout (used by Rudy Rucker), and upsilon/delta. The fourth dimension is often identified with time, and as such is used to explain space-time in Einstein's theories of special relativity and general relativity. In this case, the concept of an additional spatial dimension would be referred to as the fifth dimension. In this article, however, we discuss the implications of considering the fourth dimension as another spatial dimension.