The fundamental physical theories that interpret and explain behaviour of matter in nature are dependent on several unobservables and insensibles in their construction. While a rigorous natural philosophy cannot take them for granted, there does not seem to be a way of avoiding such unobservables in our theories. While a program to banish all unobservables from physical theory is unlikely to succeed, and perhaps even unnecessary, they are both the strong and weak points of the theoretical descriptions of physical nature. Analyzing them for empirical and philosophical consistency and integrity is always a promising path towards a better theory. In this paper, I examine the nature of physical reality in the context of unobservables in physics and discuss three examples. One is about the apparent loss of physical reality due to the need for a consistent quantum mechanical representation. The second example deals with the conflict between the assumed reality of quantum fields, so fundamental and essential to our standard physics worldview, and the dynamics of the observable universe. The third deals with an all-important difference between conventional modern physics constructed in the unreal and unobservable empty `space' and an empirically and logically determined physics with matter-filled universe as its arena. The acknowledgment of the observable matter-filled universe necessitates reformulation of dynamics with total relativity. Not surprisingly, this paradigm with its universal cosmic links also holds human concepts of harmony and beauty.
The fundamental physical theories that interpret and explain behaviour of matter in nature are dependent on several unobservables and insensibles in their construction. While a rigorous natural philosophy cannot take them for granted, there does not seem to be a way of avoiding such unobservables in our theories. While a program to banish all unobservables from physical theory is unlikely to succeed, and perhaps even unnecessary, they are both the strong and weak points of the theoretical descriptions of physical nature. Analyzing them for empirical and philosophical consistency and integrity is always a promising path towards a better theory. In this paper, I examine the nature of physical reality in the context of unobservables in physics and discuss three examples. One is about the apparent loss of physical reality due to the need for a consistent quantum mechanical representation. The second example deals with the conflict between the assumed reality of quantum fields, so fundamental and essential to our standard physics worldview, and the dynamics of the observable universe. The third deals with an all-important difference between conventional modern physics constructed in the unreal and unobservable empty `space' and an empirically and logically determined physics with matter-filled universe as its arena. The acknowledgment of the observable matter-filled universe necessitates reformulation of dynamics with total relativity. Not surprisingly, this paradigm with its universal cosmic links also holds human concepts of harmony and beauty.
The fundamental physical theories that interpret and explain behaviour of matter in nature are dependent on several unobservables and insensibles in their construction.While a rigorous natural philosophy cannot take them for granted, there does not seem to be a way of avoiding such unobservables in our theories.While a program to banish all unobservables from physical theory is unlikely to succeed, and perhaps even unnecessary, they are both the strong and weak points of the theoretical descriptions of physical nature.Analyzing them for empirical and philosophical consistency and integrity is always a promising path towards a better theory.In this paper, I examine the nature of physical reality in the context of unobservables in physics and discuss three examples.One is about the apparent loss of physical reality due to the need for a consistent quantum mechanical representation.The second example deals with the conflict between the assumed reality of quantum fields, so fundamental and essential to our standard physics worldview, and the dynamics of the observable universe.The third deals with an allimportant difference between conventional modern physics constructed in the unreal and unobservable empty 'space' and an empirically and logically determined physics with matter-filled universe as its arena.The acknowledgment of the observable matter-filled universe necessitates reformulation of dynamics with total relativity.Not surprisingly, this paradigm with its universal cosmic links also holds human concepts of harmony and beauty.
This chapter examines the nature of physical reality in the context of unavoidable unobservables in physics. One of the features of science, especially physical science, is a powerful urge to construct theories of phenomena, instead of just cataloging and classifying phenomena and their spatio-temporal patterns. The concept of fields' of various kinds dominates physical theory and modern physics, and fields are essential to both classical and quantum theories. The concept of physical reality in the context of the Einstein, Podolsky and Rosen (EPR) assertion of the incompleteness of quantum mechanics is perhaps appropriate. Quantum theory of physical systems consisting of large number of particles led to the concept of a quantum field associated with the particles, a generalisation of the wave function itself. Space and time are supreme and primary unobservables in physics, without any reality independent of matter, notwithstanding their modern status as the dynamical arena of gravitational effects as described in Einstein's general theory of relativity.
Most interpretations of quantum theory fail to provide a fundamental, complete, self-consistent account of nature describing physical reality itself, as opposed to merely yielding predictions about results of experiments and observations. A paradigm providing a self-consistent foundation for quantum theory and a description of the reality it refers to, generalized to a worldview, is a Quantum Paradigm, where ‘paradigm' is defined as structure of experiential reality. We assert that the fundamental obstruction in the quest for a quantum paradigm is the assumption of objectivity. The subject-object distinction, drawn within experience, has within the natural sciences degenerated into a dichotomy-an absolute split into separate realms-with scientists adopting the classical paradigm where the object pole of experience ("objective reality") can be studied independently from the subject pole ("the experiencer"), with a presupposition that this procedure yields a fundamental description of nature. In fact, the subjective is often eliminated altogether as a fundamental category, and reduced to an epiphenomenon of objective processes. We claim this objectivity assumption precludes a full comprehension and a paradox-free formulation of quantum theory. By challenging this presupposition, i.e. leaving the question open, a coherent understanding of quantum nature falls naturally into place, providing appropriate foundation for quantum theory and an associated world-view. The resulting Quantum Paradigm is "realist" in the sense that it provides a description of what is actually happening: namely the arena of all happening is Mind or Consciousness-from which mind and matter, subject and object, individual and collective, and time and space co-dependently arise. The subject matter of quantum theory then becomes the fundamental mind-function of distinction ("measurement"), resulting in information and its statistical correlations. The message of quantum mechanics is surprising: the basic components of objects-the particles, electrons, quarks, etc.-cannot be thought of as ‘self-existent'. The reality that they, and hence all objects, are components of is ‘empirical reality', of experience."The universe begins to look more like a great thought than a great machine."-James Jeans Anomalous phenomena such as ESP and psychokinesis, collective consciousness, and synchronicity that are considered impossible in the context of the classical paradigm, fit naturally in, and can in turn provide evidence for the Quantum Paradigm. Spirituality and science are shown to be complementary approaches referring to the same reality, Mind, while each discipline retains its integrity. The Quantum Paradigm can be intellectually comprehended, as well as embodied: one can live in quantum reality. A good metaphor for this is "life as a dream": with no "real" objects as distinguished from experienced objects. Experience is "empty" of self-nature in the Buddhist sense, with everything interconnected and co-dependently arising. Experiencing the world by "embodying the Quantum Paradigm" is transformative, healing, and an antidote to alienation resulting from embodying the classical paradigm. Embodying the Quantum Paradigm and living in the Oneness of all creation can help humanity-increasingly lost in the materialism and individualism reinforced by our embodiment of the classical paradigm-and restore intimate connection and harmony with Spirit, Nature and fellow humans; we need such a transformation to survive and thrive in our technological society.
The author discusses the evidence and consequences of our indissoluble physical links to the entire universe. He finds that the apparent conflicts in fundamental physical theories regarding issues of causality and locality are not real conflicts based in the physical world. He presents an emergent worldview interpreted in the context of a cultural, philosophical and linguistic background in which a strong tension between inseparability of the whole and the local causal flow of events seems not to exist. The existence of the whole can be felt in the parts, as something real, measurable and undeniable. Its simplicity and harmony are spiritually enriching and emotionally moving.
By offering mathematical frameworks and experimental techniques for characterising matter, energy, space, time, and their interactions, physics plays a crucial role in comprehending the nature of reality. The evolution of contemporary physics, from classical mechanics and electromagnetism to quantum mechanics and relativity, has profoundly altered our comprehension of the cosmos and put traditional ideas of determinism, locality, causation, and observation to the test. The contribution of modern physics theories to our comprehension of reality at the microscopic and cosmological sizes is examined in this paper. The measurement problem, entanglement, quantum information, quantum physics, and the connection between physical information and the emergence of observable reality are all given special emphasis. The study also looks at how understanding space, time, matter, and the structure of the cosmos is affected by general relativity, quantum field theory, and new theories of quantum gravity. Additionally, the potential connection between information, awareness, and physical processes is rigorously examined, separating accepted scientific findings from theoretical and philosophical interpretations. The study shows that relationships, information, and physical rules may be a more fundamental way to define reality than traditional ideas of independently existent objects by combining findings from theoretical physics, quantum information science, and philosophy of physics. The study concludes that while unanswered problems about quantum measurement, the origin of spacetime, and consciousness point to significant avenues for future multidisciplinary research, physics is still a potent framework for examining fundamental reality.
Two narratives – natural science and religious, intersect in the area of unobservable ontology – an immaterial, transcendental, but real area that paradoxically exists outside and inside ordinary physical space-time. It is assumed that mathematical constructs, physical laws, physical constants, quantum objects, and even biological laws can be associated with this area. It is argued that physical laws are not invented by man, but are discovered, since they contain physical constants measured in special experimental works. Universal constants were not invented for reasons of convenience – physics accepts them as an inevitable consequence of the coincidence of the results of all special measurements. Observational data are presented that indicate an extremely small change in fundamental constants or even their constancy over the entire time of the existence of the Universe, although this interesting problem cannot be considered finally solved. The ontology of quantum objects is considered within the framework of Sevalnikov's polyiontic paradigm, according to which two modes are distinguished – potential and actual. The potential existence of quantum objects is described by the Schrödinger wave function, and the actual one appears during the transition from the spectrum of possible states to the only observable one. It is emphasized that potential being does not belong to the classical space, but is in an unobservable ontology. The observed state, on the contrary, is already in ordinary space – time and can be recorded by the device. This determines the existence of a special transcendental layer of reality, along with the material, which may indicate a certain duality in the structure of the Universe. Then it should be assumed that our Universe is not a universal, but a multiverse – a set of different worlds ontologically having a different nature. In addition, the polyiontic paradigm leads to the idea that, at the quantum level, matter can be derived from information hidden in an unobservable ontology.