The work reported here originates in the discovery, four decades ago, of a previously unknown type of self-organizing interaction among oscillating systems -- so-called argumental interactions -- and of "quantized" modes of behavior in macroscopic argumentally-coupled oscillators, having no equivalent in the classical theory of oscillations. Recently the present authors have been jointly pursuing new lines of investigation into argumental interactions and their possible significance for the foundations of physics. Among other things, the study of argumentally-coupled oscillators suggested to the authors a new general way of looking at physical objects, their interactions and their aggregative,"social" behavior as manifested on all scales of observation. We believe this new viewpoint, which differs significantly both from that of classical physics and from quantum theory as presently understood, might lead to a more coherent understanding of many natural phenomena which until now have been studied only in a piecemeal fashion. To make the authors' train of thought intelligible to the reader not familiar with the field of argumental interactions, we have combined the presentation of our ideas with an extended review of experimental and theoretical results on argumentally-coupled oscillators and the associated "Macroscopic Quantization Effect". Our review serves the additional purpose of introducing this little-known, but most interesting field of research to a broader scientific audience.
The work reported here originates in the discovery, four decades ago, of a previously unknown type of self-organizing interaction among oscillating systems -- so-called argumental interactions -- and of "quantized" modes of behavior in macroscopic argumentally-coupled oscillators, having no equivalent in the classical theory of oscillations. Recently the present authors have been jointly pursuing new lines of investigation into argumental interactions and their possible significance for the foundations of physics. Among other things, the study of argumentally-coupled oscillators suggested to the authors a new general way of looking at physical objects, their interactions and their aggregative,"social" behavior as manifested on all scales of observation. We believe this new viewpoint, which differs significantly both from that of classical physics and from quantum theory as presently understood, might lead to a more coherent understanding of many natural phenomena which until now have been studied only in a piecemeal fashion. To make the authors' train of thought intelligible to the reader not familiar with the field of argumental interactions, we have combined the presentation of our ideas with an extended review of experimental and theoretical results on argumentally-coupled oscillators and the associated "Macroscopic Quantization Effect". Our review serves the additional purpose of introducing this little-known, but most interesting field of research to a broader scientific audience.
Einstein, De Broglie and others hoped that the schism between classical and quantum physics might one day be overcome by a theory taking into account the essential nonlinearity of elementary physical processes. However, neither their attempts, nor subsequent ones were able to supply a unifying principle that could serve as a starting-point for a coherent understanding of both microphysical and macroscopic phenomena. In the late 1960s the phenomenon of amplitude quantization, or Macroscopic Quantum Effect (MQE), was discovered in a class of nonlinear oscillating systems in which two or more subsystems are coupled to each other by interactions having a specific phase-dependent character -- so-called argumental interactions. Experimental and theoretical studies of the MQE, carried out up to the present time, suggest the possibility of a new conceptual framework for physics, which would provide a bridge between classical and quantum physics, replacing the Newtonian notion of "force" by a new conception of physical interaction. The present paper presents a brief introduction to the MQE and some ideas about its possible significance in the search for new approaches to the understanding of quantum phenomena.
A theoretical foundation is presented for a law of action quantization arising from the phase‑frequency self‑organization of interacting monochromatic systems. The stable regimes produced by such interaction form a discrete structure of action, representing a new fundamental physical quantity — the quantum of action of argumental interaction, generated by self‑phasing. Experiments demonstrate that this quantum of action is a dynamic invariant of stable regimes and, in many cases, numerically coincides with Planck’s quantum of action. Thus, Planck’s quantum can be interpreted as a special case of a more general argumental quantization of action. The results introduce into physics a new fundamental definition of the quantum of action and open the way toward argumental mechanics — a new physical paradigm unifying classical and quantum dynamics. The theoretical foundations presented here are supported by a reliable experimental base developed by the author and subsequently reproduced in scientific centers in the USA, China, Russia, Brazil, and other countries.
This article continues the work on Argumental Physics of Interactions (DAPI), which develops the concept of the macroscopic quantum effect (DMQE) and a dynamic ontology of argumental physical objects and their interactions. The study systematically reveals the mechanisms of interaction and self-organization underlying the discreteness, stability, and cyclical nature of physical processes — from quantum systems to complex self-organizing structures. It is shown that argumental modes are one form of interaction between objects and fields, and that argumental topology describes the structure and dynamics of complex systems. Particular attention is paid to: self-regulating phase-frequency modulation, argumental interaction conditions, discrete stable modes, the dynamic nature of argumental physical objects, and questions regarding the relationship between the continuous and the discrete in Nature. The work includes directions for the development of DAPI, methodological remarks, and an extended bibliography covering current research on DMQE and DAPI. The research results provide a foundation for the further development of this new field—DAPI.
Macroscopic quantum phenomena refer to quantum features in objects of 'large' sizes, systems with many components or degrees of freedom, organized in some ways where they can be identified as macroscopic objects. This emerging field is ushered in by several categories of definitive experiments in superconductivity, electromechanical systems, Bose-Einstein condensates and others. Yet this new field which is rich in open issues at the foundation of quantum and statistical physics remains little explored theoretically (with the important exception of the work of A J Leggett [1], while touched upon or implied by several groups of authors represented in this conference. Our attitude differs in that we believe in the full validity of quantum mechanics stretching from the testable micro to meso scales, with no need for the introduction of new laws of physics.) This talk summarizes our thoughts in attempting a systematic investigation into some key foundational issues of quantum macroscopic phenomena, with the goal of ultimately revealing or building a viable theoretical framework. Three major themes discussed in three intended essays are the large N expansion [2], the correlation hierarchy [3] and quantum entanglement [4]. We give a sketch of the first two themes and then discuss several key issues in the consideration of macro and quantum, namely, a) recognition that there exist many levels of structure in a composite body and only by judicious choice of an appropriate set of collective variables can one give the best description of the dynamics of a specific level of structure. Capturing the quantum features of a macroscopic object is greatly facilitated by the existence and functioning of these collective variables; b) quantum entanglement, an exclusively quantum feature [5], is known to persist to high temperatures [6] and large scales [7] under certain conditions, and may actually decrease with increased connectivity in a quantum network [8]. We use entanglement as a measure of quantumness here and pick out these somewhat counter-intuitive examples to show that there are blind spots worthy of our attention and issues which we need to analyze closer. Our purpose is to try to remove the stigma that quantum only pertains to micro, in order to make way for deeper probes into the conditions whereby quantum features of macroscopic systems manifest.
In the last two decades, the scientific community has witnessed a surge in activity, interesting results, and notable progress in our conceptual understanding of computing and information based on the laws of quantum theory. One of the significant aspects of these developments has been an integration of several fields of inquiry that not long ago appeared to be evolving, more or less, along narrow disciplinary paths without any major overlap with each other. In the resulting body of work, investigators have revealed a deeper connection among the ideas and techniques of (apparently) disparate fields. As is evident from the title of this volume, logic, mathematics, physics, computer science and information theory are intricately involved in this fascinating story. The inquisitive reader might focus, perhaps, on the marriage of the most unlikely and intriguing fields of quantum theory and logic and ask: Why quantum logic? By many, “logic” is deemed to be panacea for faulty intuition. It is often associated with the rules of correct thinking and decision-making, but not necessarily in its most sublime role as a deep intellectual subject underlying the validity of mathematical structures and worthy of investigation and discovery in its own right. Indeed, within the realm of the classical theories of nature, one may encounter situations that defy comprehension, should one hold to the intuition developed through experiencing familiar macroscopic scenarios in our routine impressions of natural phenomena. One such example is a statement within the special theory of relativity that the speed of light is the same in all inertial frames. It certainly defies the common intuition regarding the observation of velocities of familiar objects in relative motion. One might be tempted to dismiss it as contrary to observation. However, while analyzing natural phenomena for objects moving close to the speed of light and, therefore, unfamiliar in the range of velocities we are normally accustomed to, logical deductions based on the postulates of the special relativity theory lead to the correct predictions of experimental observations. There exists an undeniable interconnection between the deepest theories of nature and mathematical reasoning, famously stated by Eugene Wigner as the unreasonable efficacy of mathematics in physical theories.
Abstract Classical physics states that physical reality is local—a point in space cannot influence another point beyond a relatively short distance. However, In 1997, experiments were conducted in which light particles (photons) originated under certain conditions and traveled in opposite directions to detectors located about seven miles apart. The amazing results indicated that the photons “interacted” or “communicated” with one another instantly or “in no time”. Since a distance of seven miles is quite vast in quantum physics, this led physicists to an extraordinary conclusion—even if experiments could somehow be conducted in which the distance between the detectors was half-way across the known universe, the results would indicate that interaction or communication between the photons would be instantaneous. What was revealed in these little-known experiments in 1997 is that physical reality is non-local—a discovery that Robert Nadeau and Menas Kafatos view as “the most momentous in the history of science”. In The Non-Local Universe, Nadeau and Kafatos offer a revolutionary look at the breathtaking implications of non-locality. They argue that since every particle in the universe has been “entangled” with other particles like the two photons in the 1997 experiments, physical reality on the most basic level is an undivided wholeness. In addition to demonstrating that physical processes are vastly interdependent and interactive, they also show that more complex systems in both physics and biology display emergent properties and/or behaviors that cannot be explained in the terms of the sum of parts. One of the most startling implications of non-locality in human terms, claim the authors, is that there is no longer any basis for believing in the stark division between mind and world that has preoccupied much of western thought since the seventeenth century. And they also make a convincing case that human consciousness can now be viewed as emergent from and seamlessly connected with the entire cosmos. In pursuing this groundbreaking argument, the authors not only provide a fascinating history of developments that led to the discovery of non-locality and the sometimes heated debate between the great scientists responsible for these discoveries. They also argue that advances in scientific knowledge have further eroded the boundaries between physics and biology, and that recent studies on the evolution of the human brain suggest that the logical foundations of mathematics and ordinary language are much more similar than we previously imagined. What this new knowledge reveals, the authors conclude, is that the connection between mind and nature is far more intimate than we previously dared to imagine. What they offer is a revolutionary look at the implications of non-locality, implications that reach deep into that most intimate aspect of humanity: consciousness.