matter has since disintegrated under our very eyes

[Sakya kim]

In this following context,
1) what distinct meaning does the word 'since' give?
2) without the word 'since', can its meaning change?

3) About the underlined sentence, how should I take its meaning?

Context:
As C. E. M. Joad says in The Meaning of Life, “matter has since disintegrated under our very eyes. It is no longer solid; it is no longer enduring; it is no longer determined by compulsive causal laws; and more important than all, it is no longer known.
Source: P. 59
Buddhism in a Nutshell
by Narada Thera

 

[jutfrank]

It means 'from a specified point in past time to the present moment in time'. The context you've provided doesn't include the specified point in past time in question, but it must be there somewhere in the preceding context..

The underlined part is talking about the fact that matter is considered by contemporary physicists as 'unreal', in the sense that it is nothing more than a model to describe reality. If you look very closely at the natural world, there's nothing actually there but fluctuations in quantum fields. In other words, it has 'disintegrated' into non-existence.

 

[Sakya kim]

The underlined part is talking about the fact that matter is considered by contemporary physicists as 'unreal', in the sense that it is nothing more than a model to describe reality. If you look very closely at the natural world, there's nothing actually there but fluctuations in quantum fields. In other words, it has 'disintegrated' into non-existence.

Thanks you very much, @jutfrank.
If I were to take this sentence's meaning as: 'the matter is known nothing rather than all changing.', can it reach the import of it?

 

[jutfrank]

Try to say again what you mean so that I can understand you better.

 

[Sakya kim]

Try to say again what you mean so that I can understand you better.

Thanks, @jutfrank.
I want to say: the matter is nothing but changing. So we do not need to perceive as its qualities which are solid, enduring and unchanging.

 

[Tarheel]

That is quite original.

 

[jutfrank]

That isn't what the sentence is saying.

 

[Sakya kim]

That isn't what the sentence is saying.

Thanks @jutfrank.
Please, teach me the meaning to this.

 

[jutfrank]

I can teach you about the sentence in post #1 but I can't teach you about what the author has to say about the nature of matter.

Tell me which exact part of the sentence you don't understand.

 

[emsr2d2]

Please no comma here teach me the meaning to of this.