wex@ittvax.UUCP (Alan Wexelblat) (08/29/83)
Certain (nameless) persons have implicitly accused me of sloppy physics,
especially with regards to my assertions about what quantum physics has to
say about the so-called causal reality that we perceive. So, I'll let the
experts say it:
>From a book called Symmetries and Reflections, published by Nobel laureate
Eugene Wigner (pp 183,188,192):
"The being with a consciousness must have a different role in
quantum mechanics than the inanimate measuring device... In other words, the
impression which one gains at an interaction, called also *the result of an
observation* [emphasis author's], modifies the wave function of the system.
The modified wave function is, furthermore, in general unpredictable before
the impression gained at the interaction has entered our consciousness: it
is the entering of an impresion into our consciousness which alters the wave
function because it modifies our appraisal of the different probabilities
for different impressions which we expect to receive in the future. It is at
this point that the consciousness enters the theory unavoidably and unalterably.
Physico-chemical conditions and properties... not only create the
conscousness, they also influence [the being's] sensations most profoundly.
Does, conversely, the consciousness influence the physico-chemical conditions?
In other words, does the human body deviate from the laws of physics, as
gleaned from the study of inanimate nature? The traditional answer is "No":
the body influences the mind, but the mind does not influence the body.
The recognition that physical objects and spiritual values have a
very similar kind of reality has contributed in some measure to my mental
peace -- ... at any rate IT IS THE ONLY KNOWN POINT OF VIEW WHICH IS
CONSISTENT WITH QUANTUM MECHANICS. [emphasis mine]"
And, lest we think that there are just a few crackpots out there who feel
this way, let me quote from an article in the November, 1979 issue of
Scientific American (p 158). The author is Bernard D'Espagnat, and he is
discussing recent experimental an theoretical advances in quantum physics:
"The doctrine that the world is made up of objects whose existence is
independent of human consciousness turns out to be in conflict with quantum
mechanics and with facts established by experiment."
'Nuff said.
--Alan Wexelblat
decvax!ittvax!wex
(soon to be decvax!ucbvax!wex.UPenn@UDel-Relay)
P.S. These quotes were reproduced in a book called Space-Time and Beyond,
by Bob Toben and Fred Alan Wolf. I highly recommend this book to anyone
who (like me) wants to understand quantum physics without getting bogged
down in math they can't understand.CSvax:cmh@pur-ee.UUCP (08/31/83)
Excellent point. But one should always bear in mind that we talk about present quantum mechanics... Chris Hoffmann