I see quantum mysticism pop up here frequently and wanted to cover some of the basics of quantum mechanics and how they are misinterpreted or misrepresented in order to match new age or general spiritual beliefs. Observer Created Reality: Do we create reality through consciousness? Some quantum mysticism indicates that a conscious observer creates or manifests an action. To investigate we need to define observation and see the use of it in applied quantum physics. In science there are four possible definitions of observation physical interaction, human experimental design, human passive observation, and human consciousness. In quantum experiments the first two are of great importance the third is almost irrelevant and the fourth most believe plays absolutely no role in quantum events. To gain a better understanding we will look at the uncertainty principle or quantum measurement problem. Uncertainty Principle: There is wave-particle duality in quantum physics, this has been shown through quantum predictions and quantized in mathematics, it may seem strange but it is the only abstraction the human mind has been able to create in order to deal with the most fundamental levels of physical reality. This duality leads to a limit on the precision we can measure a quantum entity. Example if you want to know the location of an electron you need to fire a photon at the electron in order to pinpoint its location (the photon is the measuring tool in this case) what happens is when the photon interacts with the electron it effects its momentum (an interaction that would have occurred with or without a conscious observer), so now we know where the electron is but cannot know what momentum it was traveling at because we effected it's momentum. This is where observer created reality comes into play, we have in effect created or predetermined what would happen by the tools we used and the measurement taken. So Observer created reality is simply the tools and the experiment we use will manifest certain realities, it is not really our consciousness that created what happened. Quantum Decoherence: Another thing that really applies to this is the gap between macro and micro. What happens on the quantum level does not and will not happen on the large macro level, why you might ask? Because of the decoherence that happens because of randomization of the quantum system, you get to many random quantum entities together and they start to work in a system that is governed by classical physics, it becomes to complex to illicit the quantum coherence and quantum states that the simple and small scale quantum systems do. In other words scientific analysis can show what happens when interactions between wave-particles combine to produce thermodynamic irreversibility (entropywins!) and a decoherence of the mathematical wave-functions calculated in quantum mechanics. I am not a physics major but have been interested in it for years I just wanted to through some stuff out there after reading some posts on the topic and watching 45min of the quantum activist. If you know something I don't or can show where I am wrong on this I would love to learn
I agree, I'm not a fan of quantum mysticism. Why can't people just realize/accept that not everything is material/physical and that there are more subtle realms that are what "spiritual" implies.
i just started looking into this...and have only read enough of the basics to be dangerous! but i have read what i could find on these experiments and some of the theories that go with it..... when i look at what i see as the big picture....of this tiny world we are looking into.... they tell you that it doesnt exist until it is measured....or observed... yet they also tell you that it exists as all options as well.... so they boil it down to the idea that nature likes to keep her options open........ the problems come into play when we want to know what happened to the dead cat ? if we find a live cat when we open the box? i have read the idea of multiple universes.... but this doesnt fit with the basics.... : The atomic world is nothing like the world we live in. the basics tell me "Energy is not continuous" the unobserved options will not live on....once the choice is made once you have measured and observed it.... the choice has been made ...there is no going back ...the other options which existed only potentially -exhausted their limited energy and dissipated.... never setting into motion now where i see the spiritual side missing the point.......would also be right in the basics... "The atomic world is nothing like the world we live in." there are many clues in the natural world around us to how the world inside works.. if there is anything spiritual to be learned from quantum physics as i see it.... it is simple..... sometimes your just a particle and some times your the wave ... what could be and what was ....dont mean a thing.... now is all you have
thanks for posting this, i hate how new agers throw around 'quantum physics' like they're beliefs are proven
Observer Created Reality: Do we create reality through consciousness? Some quantum mysticism indicates that a conscious observer creates or manifests an action. To investigate we need to define observation and see the use of it in applied quantum physics. In science there are four possible definitions of observation physical interaction, human experimental design (1), human passive observation(2), and human consciousness(3). In quantum experiments the first two(2b) are of great importance the third(3b) is almost irrelevant and the fourth(???) most believe plays absolutely no role in quantum events. To gain a better understanding we will look at the uncertainty principle or quantum measurement problem. Maybe I don't understand but I don't see the original fourth it refers to.
1physical interaction, 2human experimental design, 3human passive observation, 4and human consciousness.
A post from earlier.. Could we still agree this only seperates objective and subjective reality? Or are you saying there is only objective reality?
Do you have any testable evidence that there is stuff that isn't physical? No? Then you just answered your own question.
You sound as intelligent as the people who shot down Franklins discovery of electricity just because they hadn't found a way to harness and verify it. How about this, instead of sitting there guessing, why not put in some work and find out for yourself. I personally could not show you proof, but there are those who can, but they do not for noble reasons. You don't give a knife to a child, no matter how useful of a tool it is.
let me see if i understand this. your position is proven, and there are people who could show proof but won't. and you're getting pissy with a guy who seems to want to see proof... for what reason? if anything, it seems like the rest of us ought to be pissy with you for holding back. seriously. we want to have a discussion (which usually involves backing up what you're saying) and you're saying you could, but won't... and we're taking shit from you?
you ever known Tris to tell the whole story? i agree with your point.....that we would all like to hear....
meh, there's arguing, and there's talkin shit. i wonder what noble invention gets cited for not sharing with us... coz that's gonna bug me for awhile that the discussion could actually take place but he'd rather thump his chest and croon about how much he's holding back.
Either you have evidence for your hypothesis or you don't. Quit making excuses. Hell, I'm not sure if you even have a testable hypothesis. So, you claimed that there is more stuff than physical things. Let's see that peer-reviewed research. Hell, even a PDF on arXiv would do. "How about this, instead of sitting there guessing, why not put in some work and find out for yourself." Practice what you preach, dude. It's your idea, not mine.
Are your difference in opinions not enough to show a difference in something non physical? These opinions are caused by physical waves of electricity in the brain, but what causes the difference in thoughts do you think? I'm really curious to this answer.. any insight guys?
And how would you like me to provide this evidence. You feel like buying a 400$ plane ticket for me to take you to someone who can verify? Also, just look throughout history. There's SOOO many cited cases of these things, yet there's always some asshole who tries to say it's a meteor-cat or whatever lol. Not every single study is on the internet for me to link ya to ya know. You guys need to remember that the internet isn't all-knowing.
you already said they wouldn't for "noble reasons." are these people inert? all i was really saying is don't get pissy if you're holding back on us. i don't actually care
Actually here is my advice, that way I'm not even involved. Book a trip to India, go to the area around the Himalayas, or go to Calcutta. Learn Hindi, and go around asking to meet holy men or rather fakirs. Ask one to make a living baby cobra manifest in your closed fist, that way when you open your hand it can bite you so that you almost die and will always remember it, instead of going on to rationalize it as some sort of trick later in life. I was mainly talking to the one dude, because I wasn't even referencing atheists or non-believers, I was referencing quantum mystics who believe in spirituality/magic but can't bring themselves to conceive of something more subtle than matter. You might find jugglers as well who still perform spiritual phenomena, but are more sorcerors than men of God. They will certainly do it for you for a price.