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arXiv:1206.6095

Psychophysical Interpretation of Quantum theory

Rajat Kumar Pradhan

Published Jun 25, 2012• 0 citations
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Abstract

It is shown that the formalism of quantum theory naturally incorporates the psychophysical parallelism and thereby interprets itself, if the subjective aspects are taken as equal partners alongside the objective aspects as determinants of Reality as a Whole. The inevitable interplay of the subject (observer) and the object (observed) in making up Reality is brought out succinctly through a comprehensive psychophysical interpretation which includes in its bosom the truths of many of the major interpretations proposed so far as essential ingredients. At the heart of this novel approach lies the interpretation of the complex conjugate quantities such as the conjugate wave function Ψ*(r, t), the bra vector , and the observable A etc. respectively. This brings out the psycho-physical parallelism lying hidden in the quantum mechanical formalism in a quite straightforward manner. The measurement process is shown to be a two-step process comprising objective interaction through the retarded waves and subjective observation leading to rise of knowledge through the advanced waves.

DOI
10.48550/arxiv.1206.6095

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It is shown that the formalism of quantum theory naturally incorporates the psychophysical parallelism and thereby interprets itself, if the subjective aspects are taken as equal partners alongside the objective aspects as determinants of Reality as a Whole. The inevitable interplay of the subject (observer) and the object (observed) in making up Reality is brought out succinctly through a comprehensive psychophysical interpretation which includes in its bosom the truths of many of the major interpretations proposed so far as essential ingredients. At the heart of this novel approach lies the interpretation of the complex conjugate quantities such as the conjugate wave function Ψ*(r, t), the bra vector , and the observable A etc. respectively. This brings out the psycho-physical parallelism lying hidden in the quantum mechanical formalism in a quite straightforward manner. The measurement process is shown to be a two-step process comprising objective interaction through the retarded waves and subjective observation leading to rise of knowledge through the advanced waves.
It is shown that the formalism of quantum theory naturally incorporates the psychophysical parallelism and thereby interprets itself, if the subjective aspects are taken as equal partners alongside the objective aspects as determinants of Reality as a Whole. The inevitable interplay of the subject (observer) and the object (observed) in making up Reality is brought out succinctly through a comprehensive psychophysical interpretation which includes in its bosom the truths of many of the major interpretations proposed so far as essential ingredients. At the heart of this novel approach lies the interpretation of the complex conjugate quantities such as the conjugate wave function Ψ*(r, t), the bra vector , and the observable A etc. respectively. This brings out the psycho-physical parallelism lying hidden in the quantum mechanical formalism in a quite straightforward manner. The measurement process is shown to be a two-step process comprising objective interaction through the retarded waves and subjective observation leading to rise of knowledge through the advanced waves. NeuroQuantology | December 2012 | Volume 10 | Issue 4| Page 629-645
Appealing to subject-object duality, we investigate using psychophysical parallelism, the problem of Consciousness in relation to Quantum Field Theory to look for avenues for a consciousness-based unification of Quantum Theory with Special Relativity, and therefore, of all scientific knowledge of the observed physical universe. The implications of such an approach for most of the outstanding unsolved problems in Physics are briefly discussed and several possible objections to the Psychophysical interpretations are addressed.
The measurement problem in quantum mechanics has been a cause of much puzzlement over the years. The very idea of having two different versions of reality for the same system has been a cause for much debate. Often quantum mechanics textbooks follow the ‘shut up and calculate’ paradigm. This denies the opportunity for the common student to understand the consequence of one of the most elegant and beautiful aspects of science. The state of the art textbooks give a purely algebraic, perfunctory and monotonous approach where the real consequence of the system is not fully appreciated. A good reason for this is the considerable deviation of the quantum mechanical process from the commonsensical idea of truth, reality and reason. We tend to look at the world in a materialistic, deterministic, causal and objectivistic way. We tend not to accept a world of contradictions. A quantum measurement is essentially an amalgamation of contradictions, mystery and duality. It encompasses an implicit dependence on subjectivity and contradicts with causality as we know it. We look at the world as in the present. But a quantum mechanical measurement is a prediction of the future influenced by the observer or the measurer. This offers a philosophical and pedagogical conundrum. It poses a challenge on not just how our perception of the world might change in addition to providing a big challenge on how to make it compatible with the other successful theories of physics. The most common text book interpretation of quantum mechanics has been the Copenhagen Interpretation suggests the ‘collapse of the wave function’ as a mechanism of transition between duality. But a more bizarre yet elegant theory, extending quantum formalism to the classical domain, called the Many Worlds Interpretation has been catching up very quickly; it stands for the split of the universe when we make a quantum mechanical measurement. Consequently, reality as we is redefined as a universal wave function which is a superposition of several outcomes, which is incompatible with many of the successful concepts of physics and has several problems like the correct idea about probability or basis. We adapt the idea of the universal wave function, but instead suggest a continuum interpretation of quantum mechanics where the universal wave function represents the entire singular universe and the concept of atoms or electrons as conceptually a continuous part of it rather than a distinct separate entity. Such an interpretation could be compatible with other continuum theories like the Superfluid vacuum theory or the Higgs Field.
It has been suggested, on the one hand, that quantum states are just states of knowledge; and, on the other, that quantum theory is merely a theory of correlations. These suggestions are confronted with problems about the nature of psycho-physical parallelism and about how we could define probabilities for our individual future observations given our individual present and previous observations. The complexity of the problems is underlined by arguments that unpredictability in ordinary everyday neural functioning, ultimately stemming from small-scale uncertainties in molecular motions, may overwhelm, by many orders of magnitude, many conventionally recognized sources of observed ``quantum'' uncertainty. Some possible ways of avoiding the problems are considered but found wanting. It is proposed that a complete understanding of the relationship between subjective experience and its physical correlates requires the introduction of mathematical definitions and indeed of new physical laws.
Theory of measurement is presented which is based on the statistical interpretation of quantum mechanics. The reduction of wave packet is ascribed to undue comparison of the state of an ensemble before measurement and the state of an individual system after measurement. By studying the evolution of statistical operators for subsystems and composite systems comprising an object, a measuring apparatus and an observer, one can definitely locate where the measurement is done, thus negating the principle of psycho-physical parallelism due to von Neumann. Time needed for measurement is also discussed. The Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen state is described as an eigenstate of correlation. The argument lends support to the standpoint that the physical state of a system is to be represented by the statistical operator, not by the wave function, in the conceptual foundation of quantum mechanics.
Theory of measurement is presented which is based on the statistical interpretation of quantum mechanics. The reduction of wave packet is ascribed to undue comparison of the state of an ensemble before measurement and the state of an individual system after measurement. By studying the evolution of statistical operators for subsystems and composite systems comprising an object, a measuring apparatus and an observer, one can definitely locate where the measurement is done, thus negating the principle of psycho-physical parallelism due to von Neumann. Time needed for measurement is also discussed. The Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen state is described as an eigenstate of correlation. The argument lends support to the standpoint that the physical state of a system is to be represented by the statistical operator, not by the wave function, in the conceptual foundation of quantum mechanics.