The Confusion of Quantum Mechanics
Xuefeng
September 1, 2005
Humanity continues to struggle in despair. As long as people remain unaware of what happens after death, living—whether nobly or humbly—is essentially a struggle before death.
Blindness and self-deception are common human traits. Regardless of our beliefs, if we have only a superficial understanding or fail to seek a deeper understanding, we are essentially engaging in blind faith. Christians who do not understand what the Kingdom of the Greatest Creator is like, Buddhists who do not comprehend the state of being a Buddha, and scientists who do not grasp the essence of science are, in essence, anesthetizing themselves and others—engaging in self-deception.
Quantum mechanics has given us a glimmer of hope, enabling us to organically link consciousness and matter. However, it has also brought greater confusion. Schrödinger, known as the father of the wave function, once expressed a heartfelt lament to Bohr: “What I truly regret is that one day I got confused by quantum mechanics.”
This confusion has affected not only Schrödinger and Einstein but the entire scientific community and humanity as a whole.
What confusion has quantum mechanics brought to humanity, particularly to the scientific community?
What is the fundamental composition of matter? What is the nature of the subatomic world? Are microscopic substances composed of particles or waves, or do they possess both particle and wave properties? And what exactly are waves—concrete or abstract? If they are concrete waves like electromagnetic waves, sound waves, or water waves, the uncertainty principle does not apply. If they are abstract waves, what are abstract waves, and how do they function in the real world?
Is the world deterministic and inevitable, or random and accidental? This is another major confusion brought by quantum mechanics. Heisenberg’s famous conclusion states: “Uncertainty is inherent in the subatomic world and cannot be eliminated by any means.” Does the Greatest Creator manage the universe by “rolling dice”? The material world is composed of atoms, and the atomic world is composed of subatomic particles. If the subatomic world is “uncertain,” then the material world must also be “uncertain.” If so, does humanity have a bright future, and what is the value and meaning of our spiritual practice and cultivation?
Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle has greatly hindered our understanding. If there is no absolute knowledge, then Jesus' statement, "I am the way and the door to truth," becomes problematic. This "door" is also difficult to pinpoint. Since it is uncertain, where can we find such a door? Is there no door?
Can a person appear simultaneously in multiple unrelated places? From a conventional perspective, this is impossible. However, quantum mechanics tells us this is possible for subatomic particles. Humans are collections of particles, so if subatomic particles can be in different places simultaneously, then humans can also exist in different places simultaneously, or in different spaces and times. Where is my other self or my other selves? This is confusing.
Heavenly bodies have orbits, and things have trajectories. We can calculate the exact timing of solar and lunar eclipses. Sowing seeds in suitable soil yields harvests. “Good begets good, evil begets evil. It’s not that there is no retribution, it’s just that the time has not yet come. When the time comes, retribution will surely occur.” However, in the subatomic world described by quantum mechanics, specific events are not determined by causality. In other words, some effects have no causes, and some causes have no effects. This implies that life is a gamble, which is confusing.
"Observation creates reality" is another perplexing theory from quantum mechanics. Quantum mechanics tells us that the behavior and properties of subatomic particles are related to the observer's position and method. This could mean that without "human" observation, it is like a cat running, but when observed by "humans," it may become an owl flying. Isn't this strange?
Quantum mechanics allows for multiple realities. Isn't this confusing? Since observation creates reality, the universe must have countless "worlds" that have not been observed by us.
Can we prevent our parents from meeting and thus prevent our own birth? Quantum reality seems to have a mysterious link to the past, allowing for the deletion of the "human" past. Strictly speaking, although it seems the past has been deleted, "humans" still know their past and "replicate" their future. This confuses us because, without our parents, we can still be born on this earth. We can prevent our parents from meeting, but we cannot prevent our own birth.
"Reality is not objective" is another major confusion brought by quantum mechanics. The notion that reality cannot exist independently of the observer is a significant finding of quantum mechanics, which is purely an idealistic viewpoint. But is this viewpoint wrong? Philosophers say, "I think, therefore I am," and Buddhism teaches, "All phenomena are created by the mind." What is the nature of this vast world? Do things exist because of my observation? If I do not observe them, do they cease to exist? If the objective is not real, and the real is not objective, is there any objective reality? What exactly is reality? Is subjectivity reality?
The existence of twin protons is also a major confusion. Regardless of how far apart these twin brothers are, they have instant mutual telepathy, which seems to transcend space-time without speed. Or, their connection speed far exceeds the speed of light. What kind of speed is this?
These ten confusions of quantum mechanics can lead to even more confusions. My overall feeling is that quantum mechanics represents a significant breakthrough in human thought, promising a bright future for humanity. Science, philosophy, and religion can coexist harmoniously on the same boat.
I am confident and proud to say that I have answers to these confusions. By raising these questions, I aim to encourage everyone to think broadly, abandon outdated beliefs, and let their minds soar freely. This way, I can help everyone understand themselves.
For detailed information on quantum mechanics, please read or refer to relevant books. I won’t introduce it further because I use holographic thinking, which often results in leaps of consciousness. Focusing too much on details might affect the overall beauty (in terms of time and space).
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