What Bill is describing is technically called gauge theory (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Introduction_to_gauge_theory)
I guess my view is if you have two states like Bill has given you why does it want to move down to the lower level, that is why when I release the ball does it drop rather than float up under gravity. What causes the directionality?
The normal view science view is that you are implying a stored force or a static force if you like a rubber band.
And there in lies the basic problem the moment you introduce a force there has to be something opposing it or else it will collapse or move (Newton called it the 3rd law).
And that leads you straight into the 4 fundemental forces if you believe the story :-)
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamental_interaction)
Why I say believe the story because there is no actual proof of the 3rd law its totally deduced and worse we have no explaination of directionality it's the same as times arrow.
Nothing in gauge theory implies direction there would be no reason the ball shouldn't fall upwards because like most things in physics it can go both ways. Infact in some universe the laws of physics could be upside down and balls would fall up and all our formula's would work but backwards.
For some reason gravity has a direction as does energy as does time in our universe. Explain those expalin the universe.
