Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-675805-20141028114030/@comment-1409915-20141028165839

Mattwo wrote: "Dreamworld" sounds more like something that would be using dimension to refer to an alternate plane of existance in the same universe as opposed to a completely separate universe (I.e.: The astral plane, which is closely associated with meditation lucid dreaming, near-death experiences, and other subconscious-related events in some theories).

There are a few different ways the word dimension can be used, but the two most relevant are alternate planes and alternate universes, which are not to be confused. Alright, as far as it goes there are three notable ways to interpret this, Alternate Universe, Alternate Timeline, Alternate Dimension. If there are others add them as I've forgotten them or don't remember but I'm rolling with these for now.

I think you're right on the money with calling Dimension 23 a plane but we'll get there in a second. With Alternate Universes, there is something different. Some event didn't go a certain way or someone was someone or something else what have you, but the noticeable change from an alternate timeline is that in an Alternate Universe multiple changes could occur while in an Alternate timeline it usually is just one big event that impacted all others.

For example, I'll use the World War II since everyone uses it and is (should be) familiar with it. Let's say, classic alternate timeline, the Nazi's win World War II. That's one big event. The rest of history up to that event are the same as the normal timeline but then Nazi's win, history branches off, like Paradox said.

An Alternate universe would might have the Nazi's win but there are several distinctions. Dinosaurs didn't go extinct, Abraham Lincoln wasn't shot, Hitler was a guy who died in prison and the leader of the Nazi's is something names Xcess or Jim. The difference is that it's not time that's different, it's many other things as well.

A Dimension is different from both of these in that it actually is the way we perceive things. You know, 2 dimensional has width and length, 3 dimensional adds depth, 4 dimensional adds time what have you. We got a taste of dimensions in Alien Force with the Naljian, http://ben10.wikia.com/wiki/Naljian

In this regard Dimensions, as seen in Ben 10, seem to be treated as planes of existences rather than dimensions of space, from where they get their names. Beings that inhabit further up dimensions can be so powerful that their toys are weapons of mass destruction to us, in the case of the Naljians, or they just end up looking similar to an alternate universe, like Ben 23.