Could the universe exist without space and time?

[Quds Akbar]

I know that in relativity space and time form the fabric of the universe, and everything exists in space time, so I keep thinking, could the universe exist without space and time, could anything exist? Is there any idea in theoretical physics where the universe could exist without space and time, say String theory (can the other dimensions in ST stand alone without space and time)?

 

[PeterDonis]

Is there any idea in theoretical physics where the universe could exist without space and time

Some candidate quantum gravity theories (such as loop quantum gravity) try to build the fundamentals of the theory without spacetime, and then model spacetime as an emergent property of those fundamentals. Questions about that should probably go in the Quantum Physics or Beyond the Standard Model forum, though.

say String theory (can the other dimensions in ST stand alone without space and time)?

String theory does not eliminate the ordinary 4 dimensions of spacetime that we see; it just adds others to them.

 

[atyy]

I know that in relativity space and time form the fabric of the universe, and everything exists in space time, so I keep thinking, could the universe exist without space and time, could anything exist? Is there any idea in theoretical physics where the universe could exist without space and time, say String theory (can the other dimensions in ST stand alone without space and time)?

In some string theory proposals, not all space is fundamental. For example, in AdS/CFT the theory is conjectured to be fundamentally 3+1 dimensional, from which a 4+1 dimensional spacetime emerges.

 

[Quds Akbar]

String theory does not eliminate the ordinary 4 dimensions of spacetime that we see; it just adds others to them.

Yes but according to ST, can the universe exist without the usual 4 dimensions, can the rest of the dimensions stand alone?

 

[PeterDonis]

according to ST, can the universe exist without the usual 4 dimensions, can the rest of the dimensions stand alone?

I don't see how, since, as I said, string theory does not eliminate the usual 4 dimensions, it just adds more to them.