Abstract This article1 presents a two-part proposal aimed at exploring “reality” through unifying perspectives and universally consistent foundations. Both parts are inspired by Erwin Schrödinger’s principle of objectivation, particularly the function of the ‘Subject of Cognizance’ embedded within it, and the (seemingly unresolvable, yet inescapable!) issue of the ‘location’ of the boundary between the ‘observed’ and the ‘observer’ that arises in the interpretation of quantum theory. In the first part, it is argued that different interpretations of quantum theory could be viewed as complementary rather than as alternatives, for each interpretation provides insight into different aspects of reality, and thus, integrating perspectives from multiple quantum interpretations can offer a more holistic understanding of reality than relying on a single interpretation. The plausibility of this argument is explained with a brief reference to the phenomenon of electron double-slit interference. The second part of the proposal asserts that, it is essential to eliminate any discrepancy between the way in which the terms ‘physics’ and ‘reality’ are regarded in scientific inquiry, for developing a universal, all-encompassing and consistent world view of the latter — emphasising that not only the ‘observed’ but also the ‘observer’ (considered here as the measuring instrument or apparatus) and the ‘Subject of Cognizance’ (viewed here as the conscious observer) are integral parts of the whole reality. This assertion is supported by some specific remarks of Richard Feynman and David Bohm.
Abstract This article1 presents a two-part proposal aimed at exploring “reality” through unifying perspectives and universally consistent foundations. Both parts are inspired by Erwin Schrödinger’s principle of objectivation, particularly the function of the ‘Subject of Cognizance’ embedded within it, and the (seemingly unresolvable, yet inescapable!) issue of the ‘location’ of the boundary between the ‘observed’ and the ‘observer’ that arises in the interpretation of quantum theory. In the first part, it is argued that different interpretations of quantum theory could be viewed as complementary rather than as alternatives, for each interpretation provides insight into different aspects of reality, and thus, integrating perspectives from multiple quantum interpretations can offer a more holistic understanding of reality than relying on a single interpretation. The plausibility of this argument is explained with a brief reference to the phenomenon of electron double-slit interference. The second part of the proposal asserts that, it is essential to eliminate any discrepancy between the way in which the terms ‘physics’ and ‘reality’ are regarded in scientific inquiry, for developing a universal, all-encompassing and consistent world view of the latter — emphasising that not only the ‘observed’ but also the ‘observer’ (considered here as the measuring instrument or apparatus) and the ‘Subject of Cognizance’ (viewed here as the conscious observer) are integral parts of the whole reality. This assertion is supported by some specific remarks of Richard Feynman and David Bohm.
The present study investigates the tension between objectivism and perspectivism in light of the conceptual and philosophical implications of quantum theory. The guiding dictum of objectivism posits that science reveals the underlying structure of reality independently of human cognitive activity, that is, in terms of mind-independent, discourse-independent properties and relations occurring at any spatiotemporal location. It is shown that objectivism’s stance fits with the applicability of the bivalence principle as the semantic foundation of scientific discourse. It becomes then apparent that the non-Boolean logical structure of quantum theory systematically disrupts the objectivist framework. Along this vein, we provide succinct argumentation demonstrating quantum theory’s affinity to perspectivist reasoning. It is contended that the ubiquitous phenomenon of quantum contextuality, as established by Kochen-Specker’s celebrated theorem, strongly suggests that measurement values of quantum observables can, in general, be regarded as pertaining to an object under investigation only within a local probing frame or perspective from which the object-system is considered. The last remark is reinforced when considered within the endo-theoretic perspectivist framework of quantum mechanics. The essential philosophical meaning of the latter implies the view that the quantum world can be consistently comprehended through a multilevel structure of overlapping Boolean probing frames, realized as locally variable perspectives on a quantum system, being capable of forming jointly a coherent picture of the whole in a nontrivial way. Finally, in the appendix, the endo-theoretic perspectivist framework of quantum theory is critically compared to the relational interpretation of quantum mechanics, particularly in its recent development involving the postulate of “cross-perspective links”, revealing thereby the profoundly different picture of the quantum world’s architecture between the two proposals.
We present a historical-epistemological analysis of the foundations of quantum mechanics, highlighting the relationships between quantum mechanics and scientific realism, as well as the influence of the neo-positivist philosophy of the first decades of the 20th century. The great significance of the measurement process in the context of quantum mechanics is underlined as an essential element in providing a coherent description of reality, moving from micro to macrocosm, as well as the role that the measurement apparatus and the consciousness of the observer assume during the act of measurement, the related ontological problems, the question of the objectification of the wave function, and that of the definition of discernibility. We consider also an overview of the most important alternative proposals to the standard interpretation of quantum mechanics (Copenhagen interpretation), with particular reference to hidden variable theories and other alternatives to standard quantum mechanics philosophical approach, that are modifying the vision of reality, such as the Everett’s many-worlds theory, the QBism and unified holistic approaches, such as the Primordial Dynamic Space.
The great advances in science precipitated by the advent of quantum mechanics in the 20th century have profound implications for the nature of reality. The universe is now assumed to be fundamentally quantum at all scales of existence. As such, ancient questions about what the roles of human beings in the universe are, what is the relationship between the observer and the observed, the role of the mind, existence itself and the nature of experiences, can now also be approached in new scientific ways. This provides the opportunity to explore mathematical formalisms that relate to relationships between the observer and the observed, through three principles or universal laws which apply at all levels of existence. These principles form the essence of a vast ocean of qualia of experience. Such approaches that we advocate here provide a formalism that goes beyond specific interpretations of quantum mechanics and have strong philosophical foundations in both Western philosophy as well as the monistic contemplative systems of the East. We present a plausible thesis that what is the unifying principle of all existence is universal Consciousness, which when turned within is pure Awareness of Being. The mind and the countless experiences of qualia in this inner vision encompass ancient eternal views of contemplation where the observer, the observer and the process of unifying them form an undivided wholeness. The exalted ancient yet modern view would resonate with both the non-dual ancient teachings as well as different interpretations of quantum mechanics wherein the observed system and the observing subject are inexorably tied together in an undivided Wholeness of Being. The role of the mind is critical and we use the term Exalted Mind to distinguish higher functions from ordinary mind. The implications for humanity are indeed profound, in our view form the foundation of the emerging scientific and medical paradigms, the dawn of a new era of conscious non-dual, science-based Awareness.
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 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.
I take a pragmatist perspective on quantum theory. This is not a view of the world described by quantum theory. In this view quantum theory itself does not describe the physical world, nor our observatons, experiences or opinions of it. Instead, the theory offers reliable advice on when to expect an event of one kind or another, and on how strongly to expect each possible outcome of that event. The actual outcome is a perspectival fact: a fact relative to a physical context of assessment. Measurement outcomes and quantum states are both perspectival. By noticing that each must be relativized to an appropriate physical context one can resolve the measurement problem and the problem of nonlocal action. But if the outcome of a quantum measurement is not an absolute fact, then why shoud the statistics of such outcomes give us any objective reason to accept quantum theory? One can describe extensions of the scenario of Wigner's friend in which a statement expressing the outcome of a quantum measurement would be true relative to one such context but not relative to another. However, physical conditions in our world prevent us from realizing such scenarios. Since the outcome of every actual quantum measurement is certified at what is essentially a single context of assessment, the outcome relative to that context is an objective fact in the only sense that matters for science. We should accept quantum theory because the statistics these outcomes display are just those it leads us to expect.