On the origin of the difference between time and space

TL;DR

This paper proposes that the fundamental difference between time and space originates from spontaneous symmetry breaking in a spinor-based theory, leading to the emergence of metric signature and gravitational equations.

Contribution

It introduces a spinor gravity framework where the asymmetry between time and space emerges from ground state properties, not predefined assumptions.

Findings

The difference between time and space arises from spontaneous symmetry breaking.

A higher symmetry includes groups with arbitrary signatures, explaining metric signature.

Quantum field theory and gravity emerge from spinor gravity without a predefined metric.

Abstract

We suggest that the difference between time and space is due to spontaneous symmetry breaking. In a theory with spinors the signature of the metric is related to the signature of the Lorentz-group. We discuss a higher symmetry that contains pseudo-orthogonal groups with arbitrary signature as subgroups. The fundamental asymmetry between time and space arises then as a property of the ground state rather than being put into the formulation of the theory a priori. We show how the complex structure of quantum field theory as well as gravitational field equations arise from spinor gravity - a fundamental spinor theory without a metric.