Unification by Generalising Proper Time Beyond the Extra Spatial Dimensions Paradigm

The main arguments supporting a novel proposal for the construction of a unified theory are presented. Theories with additional spatial dimensions have been investigated for around one hundred years, without clear empirical success or evidence for the existence of such a geometric extension to 4-dimensional spacetime. The new approach, dropping the central assumption of a geometric quadratic form in such models, is based upon a generalisation of proper time intervals to higher-order forms. The properties of the residual components over the original local 4-dimensional spacetime form are interpreted as the basis for the elementary structure of matter. We argue that the new approach is not only better motivated in terms of a conceptual foundation for unification, but also provides a much-improved framework for the empirical phenomena to be accounted for by a unified theory. In particular, we describe how generalised proper time accounts for features of the Standard Model particle multiplet structure and discuss the possible areas of new physics beyond. The manner in which the theory also provides a suitable setting for amalgamating gravity with quantum theory and incorporates a dark sector as appropriate for cosmological observations will also be described. Open questions for this novel unification scheme, in all of these areas, and the corresponding direction and opportunities for further development, will be outlined.