qm philosophy talk
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How We See the
Matter That Makes
All Things
Steven Spencer
Applied Mathematician
Philosophers Corner
2nd October 2012 1
Outline
• The world of classical physics
• Things don’t quite add up!
• Enter the quantum
• The mechanics and the quantum
• Stranger and stranger
• What does it mean?
• Where is the mind in all this?
• Are you sure?2
The world of classical physics
• Deterministic (Laplace 1749 - 1827)
• External observer and isolated experimental
systems
• Particles (Newton 1642 -1727)
• Waves (Hooke, Huygens, Young, Maxwell)
• Atomic theory (Dalton)3
Things don’t quite add up
• Black-body thermal radiation → colours
• Stable atoms
• Line emission spectra
• Photoelectric effect
4
Enter the Quantum
• The physics of atomic and sub-atomic scales?
• Energy is emitted in ‘bits’ (quanta) (Planck,
1900) → tricky maths?
• Energy in light is in ‘grainy bits’ (photons)
which are particles with wave properties →photoelectric effect (Einstein, 1905)
5
Two views of EM radiation
• Light is a wave! Light is a particle!
6
The Mechanics and the Quantum• Orbital atomic theory (Rutherford, 1911)
• Quantised electron orbit atomic model
(Bohr, 1913) → ‘flights and perchings’
• Particles are waves! (de Broglie, 1924) →orbiting electrons have integer
wavelengths!
• Matrix mechanics (Heisenberg, 1925) →unanschaulich atomic world! 7
• Wave mechanics (Schrodinger, 1926) → how the
quantum state of a system evolves with time.
Anschaulich atomic world?
• Complementarity – wave-particle duality
• Deterministic description for wave functions +
Statistical description of matter and energy.
• Uncertainty principle (Heisenberg, 1927)
Momentum and position cannot be simultaneously
measured with unlimited precision. 8
The observer and the system
• The role of the classical observer
(measurement) of a quantum system becomes
central and hotly contested –
“We are not only observers. We are
participators. In some strange sense, this is a
participatory universe.” – John A. Wheeler
9
The Quantum World?
• Wave function evolution U(objective &
deterministic) + measurement R(subjective) =
confusion?!?
10
Electron Double Slit Experiment
(Feynman)
• Detector ‘D’ turned
on or off by observer
→ affects pattern on
screen by double slit.
Observer affects
outcome of experiment!
11
Stranger and stranger• Superposition of states → possible in quantum
but not classical world (Schrodinger’s cat).
• Quantum emtanglement → Many particle
systems have a complicated combined
wavefunction even at ‘large’ distances!
• Einstein-Podolski-Rosen (EPR) effect – QM is
either ‘non-local’ (faster than light influences)
or is not a complete theory!
• Bell inequalities – QM wins again!
12
Schrodinger’s Cat Thought Experiment!
• Quantum
superposition
affects the
classical
world?
13
• Before detection the electron wave is
‘everywhere’, at detection the wave function
collapses throughout the universe!
‘Spooky action at a distance’ (Einstein)
14
• Single source of two photons – ‘spin’
observation method at one end affects
observation at a distant point! Do particles
communicate with one another or are they
one entity ?!? 15
• Standard QM violates Bell’s theorem. Separated particles are connected (entanglement)!?!
• Result confirmed by experiment (Aspect, 1982)!!16
What does it mean?
• Starting point – no experiment has ever been
found that concludes against QM maths!
• Whatever happened to determinism?
“God does not play dice” – A. Einstein
vs
“A physical object has an ontologically
undetermined component that is not due to
the epistemological limitations of physicists’
understanding” – A. Eddington 17
• Ontologies (interpretations) –
a) Copenhagen (Bohr, Heisenberg and Born, 1927) –
Complementarity + uncertainty principle +
measurement + correspondence principle.
QM describes knowledge NOT reality!
“There is no quantum world. There is only an
abstract physical description.” - N. Bohr
“The idea of intermediate kinds of reality was just
the price one had to pay” – W. Heisenberg18
b) Many-worlds / relative state (Everett, 1957) –
universal wavefunction never collapses → multiverse
c) Environmental decoherence – rapid disappearance
of quantum superpositions by interaction with
environment (useful for many interpretations).
d) Ensemble (Einstein) – Minimalist, statistical –
wavefunction for large numbers of particles only.
e) Relational – different observers see different
quantum states.
19
f) Pilot-wave (de Broglie, Bohm) – Particles guided by
wavefunction. Non-local, holistic universe, hidden
variables.
g) Objective collapse (Penrose) – physical mechanism
of collapse – extended QM.
h) Conciousness collapse - subjective reduction (von
Neumann/Wigner) & participatory anthropic principle
(J.A. Wheeler)
g) New theories (many!) – objective R wave function
collapse / non-linear U function. 20
Where is the mind in all this?• What is a brain?
• Dense network – more
than 104 cell bodies and
km of wiring per cubic mm!
• Multiple cell types: spiking
neurons (1011 cells) for info
processing, analog neurons
& ‘supporter’ cells .
Q: Is the mind (consciousness) highly organised brain activity?
21
Neuronal Behaviour
⇒
22
Quantum Theory of Mind
• Non-algorithmic thought → cannot be modelled by a digital (Turing) computer.
• Consciousness as a quantum mechanical phenomenon
(Penrose & Hameroff) –Hypothesis: Neuron microtubules within neurons support quantum superpositions (non-computable behaviour) + macroscopic quantum entanglement across brain.
• Highly controversial – decoherence counter-argument!
• Physical collapse of quantum wavefunction of microtubules essential for consciousness (Orch-OR). 23
Complex Dynamical Behaviour Theory
of Mind
• Intrinsic non-linear dynamics of each individual neuron + network dynamics (attractors, bifurcations of behaviour, small changes in inputs lead to large changes in outputs).
• ‘Simple’ non-linear models found for behaviour of individual spiking neurons → reproduce complex bursKng behaviour.
• Apparently non-algorithmic behaviour (sometimes chaos) from algorithmic (deterministic) components.
• Consciousness as an emergent phenomenon from a neural network complex dynamical system of the physical brain.
24
Are you sure?• An underlying level of reality?
• Quantum state decoherence and gravitons?
• Non-linear quantum theory
• The classical-quantum divide - looking for
decoherence
• To be continued… 25
THANK YOU!!!26
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