What is quantum physics? It is the key to understanding consciousness - Stuart Hameroff
Quantum physics lead Einstein to say:
"I cannot believe that God plays dice with the universe"
So what is quantum physics?
If you want a quick overview of Einstein's opposition to quantum physics, click here.
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| Some of the physicists who made early contributions to quantum mechanics (left to right, top row first): Neils Bohr, Albert Einstein, Max Planck, Wolfgang Pauli, Werner Heisenberg [Credit: Deutsches Bundesarchiv (German Federal Archive), Bild183-R57262 |
Why would Einstein, the father of the theory of relativity, say something like this. It is because when the definition of quantum theory first came about it soon became clear that at a quantum level, the world is not exact. Nothing is certain. There are endless (infinite) possibilities, but no one can predict a particular outcome. For Einstein, the world could not be that uncertain. Before we get into that, perhaps the first and most important distinction to make is that of size.
Most people have had some exposure to Classical (or Newtonian) physics and associated theories. Remember? Newtons first, second and third laws? What goes must come down? F=ma and all that stuff. The basics of quantum physics' first position is to illustrate that Newtonian physics only applies on a macro scale, which loosely translated means, in the visible world (i.e. where we are able to see, even with a strong microscope). In the Newtonian world, matter as we know it is solid, it behaves in predictable patterns and we are able to manipulate it to serve our every day life.
Basics of quantum physics: Quantum physics or quantum theory seems to operate under a different set of laws. In the quantum world, nothing is certain. Things can be:
- In two (or more) places at the same time
- Interconnected over great distances (galaxies apart) as if in close proximity (responding to impulses in the same way)
- Time does not flow (as we know it in set increments)
The quantum revolution began in 1900 with Max Planck's discovery of the basic quantum of action and was completed by Heisenberg, Schrödinger and Dirac who formulated the basic quantum theory and mathematics. In the new quantum picture waves acquired particle properties and particles behaved like waves. In the quantum world everything has both a particle and a wave aspect which can manifest in different measurement contexts. The wave/particle duality at first seemed paradoxical, but once physicists managed to assimilate this subtle marriage of opposites into their mathematics, quantum theory took off and soon became our deepest and most successful theory of the natural world.
If you have time to watch these little movie clips from Youtube, it will be very useful in raising your awareness on the subject, but I will try and construct the article in such a way that it not a necessity. It will help with the question: What is quantum physics?
The first issue in the question of 'what is quantum physics?' and the most obvious importance for consciousness, is the strange role that the observer plays in determining the outcome of events in the quantum world and by implication our observable universe. The double slit experiment gives you a glimpse of the basics of quantum physics.
What??? Yes, you as observer influence the way in which matter behave purely by placing your awareness on the matter. Heisenburg first understood that uncertainty is an essential part of quantum physics and quantum theory.
As early as 1935, Erwin Schrödinger noted a peculiar property of this new theory which he called "entanglement", namely that when two quantum systems are brought together and then separated, they remain still connected, at least in the theory, by an instantaneous new kind of wholeness. Quantum entanglement, said Schrödinger, was not one but THE main difference between the new quantum theory and the old classical ways of describing nature.
There is more weirdness. Schrödinger did not like the notion of uncertainty and postulated a thought experiment, which became a very famous quantum theory experiment referred to as Schrödinger's cat (see the below video from Youtube)
Schrödinger's cat: More understanding of what is quantum physics
Schrödinger and Einstein had exchanged letters about Einstein's EPR article, in the course of which Einstein had pointed out that the quantum superposition of an unstable keg of gunpowder will, after a while, contain both exploded and unexploded components. Schrödinger applied quantum theory to a living entity that may or may not be conscious. In Schrödinger’s original thought experiment he describes how one could, in principle, transform a superposition inside an atom to a large-scale superposition of a live and dead cat by coupling cat and atom with the help of a ‘‘diabolical mechanism.’’ He proposed a scenario with a cat in a sealed box, where the cat's life or death was dependent on the state of a subatomic particle.
Schrödinger used radioactive material as activator, but I'll try and simplify. Let's say a mirror that allows 50% of particles through, 50% not.
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| Schrodinger's Cat Illustrated |
The cat would both be dead and alive. You might ask, so really is the cat dead or alive? One sure way to find out is to open the box. Only when opening the box would the particle that had been in super-position collapse to either activating the poison or not activating the poison. The weirdness is that when opening the box and finding the cat dead, the time of death would not be the time of opening the box, but the time the particle was fired at the mirror. Thus, a conscious observer NOW can influence the collapse of a particle in the past, which is why quantum physics also don't allow the laws of time as set out by Newton. According to Schrödinger, the Copenhagen interpretation implies that the cat remains both alive and dead until the box is opened.
The EPR (Einstein–Podolsky–Rosen) thought experiment is a paradox aimed at illustrating that quantum theory is flawed by using Einstein's general relativity theory's theorem that nothing can move faster than the speed of light.
It is best explained in the following video from Youtube. Consider the pre-amble. Particles (in entanglement) always occur in pairs - opposites of each other. Quantum physics says that there is uncertainty as to the charge of each particle and both particles are both positive and negatively charged. When consciously observed, one will collapse into a positive charge, the other into a negative charge. So if you observe the one as positive, some certainty enters into the equation in that you now know that the other must be negative. Quantum entanglement suggest that even when these particles are removed over great distances their opposing charge will remain in tact.
Einstein said this cannot happen as the information (to tell the particle what charge to assume) cannot travel faster than the speed of light. Sadly for Einstein he was proven wrong, when the EPR thought experiment was actually conducted in Geneva Switzerland and proven to be accurate. Information DO indeed travel faster than the speed of light and the EPR paradox is indeed not a paradox.
So what does all of this got to do with consciousness and spirituality? Quantum physics and quantum theory seems to be the instruments through which we will ultimately understand consciousness. Consciousness and spirituality has its own entanglement (excuse the pun), so for now let's focus our attention on the connection between quantum physics and consciousness and I can think of nobody who understands that better than Stuart Hameroff who investigates quantum consciousness.
Stuart Hameroff on Quantum Physics and Consciousness:
Here is an article on quantum entanglement and Bell's theorem for the connoisseurs (not for the light hearted).
From What is Quantum Physics back to Consciousness and Spirituality Home"
Further videos of intrest: Is matter a wave or a particle? (Michio Kaku)
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