The equation Einstein developed, E=mc^2, is now the iconic scientific relation not only in the world of physics, but also in pop culture. Its implications reach beyond our association of this equation being developed by Einstein and all of its depictions in scientific culture.

Philosophical Engineering

Most science programs begin with classical mechanics, treating the world as fundamental building blocks that can be broken down and built up again with known rules, assumptions, and specific conditions. However, the famous equation implies a breakdown of this way of thinking, as mass, something we thought was so concrete, is more a pattern of energy, which is associated with processes as physicist Fritjof Capra states in his book The Tao of Physics.

So, for mass to be defined now in terms of these patterns of energy “processes” and energy in terms of mass, there is a “continuous dance of energy” that is being observed, not fundamental building blocks of nature. As the equation suggests, if the scientific world is truly to accept this equation and incorporate it into our fundamental principles, we must stress that our thoughts when we study a particular system, must not be limited to a search for fundamental blocks, but also to higher level processes.