This book examines the fundamental basis of 'reality, ' in all of its manifested forms, whether or not experienced by humans. Explored are what there is to know; what it is we are capable of knowing; what makes such knowing possible (theoretically, technologically, anatomically, physiologically, etc.) ... and ... perhaps more interestingly, clearly identified are what it is we are not capable of knowing: why we can never know these things, and what this inability means in terms of how we perceive the world around us in all of its various forms. These include physical, chemical, political, social, economic, religious, cultural, and other manifestations of "reality" -- all of which, as is shown, derive from a common set of fundamental attributes ... denominators that are 'common' to all realizable forms of energy, and hence, form the basis for a 'Unified Theory of Everything." Having discovered this, one is able to explain the essence of everything ... or, at least, know what to look for in seeking meaningful knowledge. Indeed, the search for knowledge, and through it, truth, is among the strongest of all human drives. As a part of this search, we constantly seek common denominators ... basic attributes that can help us, in some generic sense, gain further insights into the fundamental nature of our universe, and how it becomes manifest in our daily experiences. Indeed, this book explores how we perceive the world around us, and how we build those perceptions into a body of knowledge. The quest for such knowledge ... the journey ... may be an end in itself for - given our own anatomic, physiologic, technologic, analytic, sociologic, political, and other constraints and limitations - the ultimate objective may very well be unattainable. That having been said, however, our continuing efforts to improve life on this planet is an attainable goal ... so, to that end, we strive to learn more, to understand more, to accomplish more, and to keep expanding the envelope of our abilities and understanding.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Daniel Schneck could easily qualify as a Renaissance Man: an individual knowledgeable in an unusually wide variety of the arts & sciences. He has the distinction of pursuing parallel professional careers in Music, Engineering, Medicine, and Law. He is also an active author, teacher, legal consultant, researcher, and philosopher. Dr. Schneck began studying the violin at age 5, gave his performing debut at N.Y.'s Carnegie Recital Hall at age 7, was graduated from the prestigious High School of Music & Art in N.Y., and went on to study with Dorothy DeLay at the Juilliard School of Music. Among his many musical credentials are the N.Y. Opera Orchestra, Cleveland Philharmonic, Oberlin Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra, New Hampshire Music Festival Orchestra, Alleghany String Quartet, and an endowed first violin chair in the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra. He and his wife, also a violinist, currently teach and administer the K-8 music program at the Blacksburg (Virginia) New School (www.new-school.org). Dr. Schneck holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, an M.S. in Aeronautics, Astronautics & Medical Science, a Ph.D. in Fluid, Thermal & Aerospace Sciences, and is a Licensed Professional Engineer in New York and Virginia. Following a faculty appointment at New York Medical College, he went to Virginia Tech, where he was Director of the Biomedical Engineering Program, and served on the faculty for 28 years before retiring as Professor Emeritus to pursue a full-time consulting career in the fields of Forensic Biomechanics and Biomusical Engineering. Among Dr. Schneck's more-than 330 publications are 21 books, including Engineering Principles of Physiologic Function (1990), Mechanics of Muscles (1992), The Music Effect: Music Physiology and Clinical Applications (2006); and SEARCHING (2005). The recipient of many distinguished honors and recognitions, Dr. Schneck is a Founding Fellow in the American Institute for Medical & Biological Engineering, which places him in the top 2% of Biomedical Engineers world-wide, and is a Fellow of the Biomedical Engineering Society.. But the bottom line, as his wife says, is that, "Dan is still trying to figure out what he wants to do when he grows up!"
