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One of the most perplexing aspects of quantum mechanics is that midget subatomic particles do n’t seem to " choose " a body politic until an outside observer measures it . The act of mensuration converts all the vague possibility of what could take place into a definite , concrete result . While the mathematics of quantum mechanics provide formula for how that summons work , that mathematics does n’t really explain what that means in practical terms .
One musical theme is that consciousness — an awareness of our own selves and the impact we have on our milieu — fiddle a fundamental role in measure and that it ’s our experience of the universe that converts it from merely imagined to truly real .
But if this is the face , then is it possible that human consciousness could explain some of the weirdness of quantum mechanics ?
Quantum measurement
Quantum mechanicsare the rules that regularise the menagerie of subatomic molecule that make up the universe . Quantum mechanics tells us that we live in a cardinal nondeterministic earth . In other words , at least when it comes to the world of petite particles , it ’s insufferable , no matter how cunning scientists are in their experimental design or how perfectly they know that experiment ’s initial conditions , to predict with foregone conclusion the outcome of any experiment . have intercourse the force play on a proton ? There ’s no placed localisation where it ’s certain to be a few seconds from now — only a set of probabilities of where itcouldbe .
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gratefully , this indeterminism surfaces only in the subatomic cosmos ; in the macroscopic humanity , everything function according to deterministic laws of physics ( and no , we ’re not exactly sure why that rip encounter , but that ’s a problem for a dissimilar twenty-four hour period ) .
When physicist execute an experiment on quantum systems ( for example , judge to mensurate the energy level of an electron in an atom ) , they ’re never quite sure what resolve they ’ll get . rather , the equation of quantum automobile mechanic predict the probability of these vitality levels . Once scientists in reality direct the experiment , however , they get one of those results , and all of a sudden the universe becomes deterministic again ; once scientists know the energy storey of the electron , for example , they know exactly what it ’s belong to do , because its " wavefunction " collapse and the corpuscle choose a sealed vigour level .
This flip from indeterminism to determinism is instantly odd , and there is no other theory in physics that control the same way . What make the act of measurement so special ? Myriad quantum interaction happen in the universe all the time . So do those interactions experience the same variety of flipping even when no one is looking ?
The role of consciousness
The stock interpretation of quantum mechanic , known as the Copenhagen interpretation , suppose to dismiss all this and just pore on getting outcome . In that eyeshot , the subatomic populace is fundamentally deep and masses should n’t seek to modernise tenacious mental picture of what ’s going on . or else , scientists should count themselves lucky that at least they can make anticipation using the par of quantum mechanics .
But to many multitude , that ’s not satisfying . It seems that there ’s something incredibly peculiar about the cognitive operation of measuring that seem only in quantum theory . This speciality becomes even more spectacular when you equate measurement to , say , literally any other fundamental interaction .
For instance , in a faraway gas pedal cloud , deep in the vastness of interstellar space , nobody is around ; nobody is watch . If , within that gas cloud , two atoms bump into each other , this is a quantum fundamental interaction , so the rules of quantum mechanics should apply . But there is no " measurement " and no result — it ’s just one of billion of random interactions befall every day , unseen by humans . And so the rule of quantum auto-mechanic order us that the fundamental interaction remains indeterministic .
But if those same two mote bump together inside a laboratory , scientists can measure and record what happen . Because a measuring occurred , the same rules of quantum auto-mechanic tell us that the indeterminism flipped to become deterministic — that ’s what tolerate me to write down a concrete outcome .
What ’s so different between these two cases ? Both imply subatomic molecule interacting with other subatomic subatomic particle . And every step of the measurement process involves subatomic particle at some level , so there should n’t be an escape valve from the usual quantum convention that say the outcome should be indeterminate .
Some theoretician , such as initiate quantum physicist Eugene Wigner , aim out that the only conflict between these two scenario is that one involve a conscious , intend observer and the other does not . Thus , what ’s address a " crash " in quantum mechanics ( the transition from indeterministic probability to a concrete consequence ) trust on consciousness .
Dreams of the universe
Because cognizance is so important to humans , we tend to think there is something special about it . After all , beast are the only known conscious entity to dwell the universe . And one mode to see the rules of quantum mechanic is to follow the above logical system to its extreme end : What we call a measurement is really the interposition of a witting agent in a string of otherwise mundane subatomic interactions .
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This line of cerebration require cognisance to be dissimilar from all the other physics in the creation . Otherwise , scientist could ( and do ) argue that consciousness is itself just the sum of various subatomic interactions . If that ’s the case , there ’s no end breaker point in the chain of measure . And if so , then what scientist do in the laboratory really is n’t any different from what come about in random gas cloud .
While not strictly a strong-arm hypothesis , the construct of consciousness as dissimilar and freestanding from the fabric existence does have a long tradition in philosophy and divinity .
However , until someone can reckon out a direction to test this concept of cognizance as separate from the eternal sleep of the physical laws in a scientific experiment , it will have to outride in the realm of philosophy and speculation .
This is part of an ongoing series describing potential interpretations of quantum mechanic .
