QUANTUM PHYSICS: BEYOND

COPENHAGEN
The Atomic RevolutionBeyond the Lies of Physics
Class

QUANTUMPHYSICSFORAMATEURS:ABRIEFHISTORY
TableofContents

PREFACE:THERELATIONOFSCIENCETOSPIRITUALITY

PreliminaryChapterOutline
TheCosmicMystery:JohannesKepler
CelestialMechanics:SirIsaacNewton
Goddoesnotplaydice:AlbertEinstein
o ThePhotoelectriceffect
o RelativityTheory
o UnifiedFieldTheory
ItStartedwithaLightBulb:MaxwellPlanck
MindMatterSymmetry:LouisdeBroglie
TheOlderGentlemanfromVienna:ErwinSchrdinger
TwoKnightsoftheQueensEmpire:Jeans&Eddington
TheConscienceofPhysics:WolfgangPauli
OrthodoxQuantumMechanics:NielsBohr
CommunicationBreakdown:WernerHeisenberg
ThereisnoGodandDiracishisProphet:PaulDirac
TheStrangeTheoryofLightandMatter:RichardFeynman
TheParticipatoryUniverse:JohnWheeler
QuantumConsciousness:EugeneWigner
TheEnfoldedOrder:DavidBohm
o Hiddenvariabletheories
o Bohmianmechanics,pilotwavetheory
o Holonomicbraintheory
SpookyActionataDistance:JohnBell
Turnon,Tunein,Dropout:TimothyLeary(atHarvardCollege)
o AlbertHoffman,RichardAlpert(RamDass),AldousHuxley
o TheMiracleofMarshChapel
o ThePerennialPhilosophy(1945)
o ThePsychedelicExperience(1964)
o BeHereNow(1971)
TheSummerofLove:QuantumPhysicsMovesWestward

o AlanTuring:TheFatherofArtificialIntelligence
o TheTransistor&RiseofSiliconValley
o SteveJobs&BillGates:BuildingthePersonalComputer
o TranscendentalMeditation
o GeneticsandBioengineering:Schrdingerian&postSchrdingerianperspectives
CIAMindGames:MKUltra&ProjectStargate
ReinventingFundamentalPhysics(atUCBerkeley)
o TheDancingWuLiMasters(1979)
o TheTaoofPhysics(1975)
o FritjofCapra
o NickHerbert
o FredWolf
o HenryStapp
o TheStanfordResearchInstitute
ThePEARTree:RobertJahn(atPrincetonU)
o RogerNelson,TheGlobalConsciousnessProject
o RupertSheldrake,MorphicResonance
o DeanRadin,EntangledMinds
o BrianJosephson

AnyrealparapsychologistsoughttoapplytotheRandiFoundation

EvidenceofparapsychologywouldwinaNobelPrize

TheGodParticle&EndoftheUniverse:TheStandardModelofParticlePhysics
o CERN,LHCdiscoveryoftheHiggs
o ThePenroseHawkingSingularityTheorems
BeyondtheStandardModel:SuperstringsandtheQuestforQuantumGravity
o Stringtheory&MTheory

TheGrandDesign,StephenHawking

Otherperspectives:MichioKaku,JohnHagelin

NotEvenWrong,PeterWoit

o Beyondconvention:SirRogerPenrose

CyclesofTime:ConformalCyclicCosmology

TheEmperorsNewMind:OrchOR

o TwistorTheory,Loopquantumgravity
o TheCosmologicalConstant,DarkMatter,DarkEnergy
o JimAlKhalili,LifeontheEdge
o RobertAntonWilson,QuantumPsychology
QuantumComputing,QuantumCryptography,&Decoherence
o Zurek,Decoherence
o GellMann,SumOverHistories
o Hartle,ConsistentHistories
o Omnes,QuantumPhilosophy
Dr.Strangelove:JuliusRobertOppenheimer

Preface:TheRelationofSciencetoSpirituality
Politicalstrifeandupheaval,environmentaldisaster,theriseofreligiousfanaticismand
totalitarianism,thefailureofmodernpsychiatrytoalleviatethesufferingsofthementallyill,our
mostafflictedanddejectedsocialmembersthemodernfailingsofthehumanmindareclear.
AsthesuccessorsofEinsteinandNetwon,KeplerandPlato,SpinozaandSchopenhauer,weasa
societyarepresentlyingravespiritualdanger,adangerlargelyofourowncreation.Quantum
physicistandtheoreticalbiologistErwinSchrdingerobserved:
Asortofgeneralatavismhassetin;westernmanisindangerofrelapsingtoanearlier
levelofdevelopmentwhichhehasneverproperlyovercome:crass,unfetteredegoismis
raisingitsgrinninghead,anditsfist,drawingirresistiblestrengthfromprimitivehabits,is
reachingfortheabandonedhelmofourship.
Schrdingerfurthertracedtherootofthisatavism:
Mostof[ourpeople]havenothingtoholdontoandnoonetofollow.Theybelieve
neitherinGodnorgods;tothem,theChurchisnowonlyapoliticalparty,andmoralityis
nothingbutaburdensomerestrictionwhich,withoutthesupportofthosenolonger
crediblebugbearsonwhichitleantforsolong,isnowwithoutanybasiswhatever.
Oneoftheworldsfirstbiotechnologists,ErwinSchrdingerwrotetohisreadersthatablood
transfusionofthoughtwouldshortlybeneededtosaveWesternsciencefromspiritual
anemia.
Theworlddoesnothavetobethisway.Theideathattheconclusionsofmodernsciencemustbe
brandedasatheisticorinsomewayopposedtospiritualityissimplyincorrectand
counterfactual,asunscientificasitisantihistorical.Suchassertionsruncontrarytothepractice
ofsciencethroughouthistoryandaregenerallyfoundedonaninsidiousmisunderstandingofthe
philosophyandhistoryofourpresentdaysciences.Wemustthereforeaskthefatefulquestion:
whathasmodernphysicstosayaboutitsencounterwithhumanconsciousness?
FormerTranscendentalMeditationinstructorandNewAgeguruDeepakChoprasmuglyassures
hislarge,Westernfollowing:Thephysicalworld,includingourbodies,isaresponseofthe
observer.Wecreateourbodiesaswecreatetheexperienceofourworld.
Ontheotherhand,theNewAtheistsassureusthisisntso,asperthereligionlessspirituality
advocatedbyneuroscientistSamHarris,writingontheadviceofhisfriend,theoreticalphysicist
LawrenceKrauss,amanwhoworkswiththequantumtheoryforaliving:

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Authorsstrugglingtolinkspiritualitytosciencegenerallypintheirhopeson
misunderstandingsoftheCopenhagenInterpretationofquantummechanics,whichthey
takeasproofthatconsciousnessplaysacentralroleindeterminingthecharacterofthe
physicalworld.Ifnothingisrealuntilitisobserved,consciousnesscannotarisefrom
electrochemicaleventsinthebrainsofanimalslikeourselves;rather,itmustbepartof
theveryfabricofreality.Butthissimplyisntthepositionofmainstreamphysics.Itis
truethat,accordingtoCopenhagen,quantummechanicalsystemsdonotbehave
classicallyuntiltheyareobserved,andbeforethattheymayseemtoexistinmany
differentstatessimultaneously.Butwhatcountsasobservationundertheoriginal
Copenhagenviewwasneverclearlydefined.Thenotionhasbeenrefinedsince,andithas
nothingtodowithconsciousness.
AsneitherChopra,norHarris,norKrausshasmuch(any)experiencedealingwiththe
philosophicalfoundationsofphysics,thisisquitethemisunderstandingindeed.Tosettlematters,
Schrdingertellsus,wemustgofarback.Throughthecourseofmansslowemergenceon
MotherEarth,bothspiritualandscientificknowledgemustcontinuetoformacounterposedbut
neverthelesscomplimentaryandinseparableidyllicpairofvaluestoaidinourunderstandingthe
naturalworld.ThiswasroughlytheworldviewofJosephCampbell,CarlJung,AldousHuxley,
TimothyLeary,MaxwellPlanck,AlbertEinstein,ErwinSchrdinger,NielsBohr,andWerner
Heisenbergamongothervisionariesof20thcenturyscience,toshortlybeexploredinyetgreater
detail.
ItisthepositionofCosmicReligion,anewsortofreligion,sodesignatedbyAlbertEinstein:
Godisamystery.Butacomprehensiblemystery.IhavenothingbutawewhenIobserve
thelawsofnature.Therearenotlawswithoutalawgiver,buthowdoesthislawgiver
look?Certainlynotlikeamanmagnified.
Asamerebiologist,NewAtheistRichardDawkinsiscertainlynotqualifiedtospeakso
authoritativelyabouttheGodofthephysicist:
ThereiseveryreasontothinkthatfamousEinsteinismslikeGodissubtlebutheisnot
maliciousorHedoesnotplaydiceorDidGodhaveachoiceincreatingthe
Universe?arepantheistic,notdeistic,andcertainlynottheistic.Goddoesnotplaydice
shouldbetranslatedasRandomnessdoesnotlieattheheartofallthings.DidGod
haveachoiceincreatingtheUniversemeansCouldtheuniversehavebeguninany
otherway?EinsteinwasusingGodinapurelymetaphorical,poeticsense.Sois
StephenHawking,andsoaremostofthosephysicistswhooccasionallyslipintothe
languageofreligiousmetaphor.
Thisliturgical,linguisticsavvysimplyamountstoatruism.Languageisbydefinition
contextual;therefore,languagebynecessityoughtbeconsideredmetaphor.(Remember,
DawkinsauthoredTheSelfishGenein1976,wholeheartedlybelievingthatDarwinsdeadly
blowOntheOriginofSpecies,combinedwithMendelsgeneticsandthediscoveryofthe

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CrickWatsonstructureofDNA,removedtheneedforGodinbiology.Chapter3ofTheSelfish
Gene,whichDawkinslaterremarkedcouldequallywellbetermedTheCooperativeGene,is
entitledImmortalCoils.)
ComparethisDawkinspseudocommentarytothewordsofErwinSchrdinger,closepersonal
friendtoAlbertEinstein,writingin1944attheheightofWorldWarIIaboutthephysicsofthe
livingorganismintheconclusionandepiloguetohisaptlynamedWhatisLife?:
Pleasedonotaccusemeofcallingthechromosomefibersjustthecogsoftheorganic
machineatleastnotwithoutareferencetotheprofoundphysicaltheoriesonwhichthe
simileisbasedItneedsstilllessrhetorictorecallthefundamentaldifferencebetween
thetwoandtojustifytheepithetsnovelandunprecedentedinthebiologicalcase
[Among]themoststrikingfeaturesarethefactthatthesinglecogisnotofcoarse
humanmake,butisthefinestmasterpieceeverachievedalongthelinesoftheLords
quantummechanics.
is[this]nottheclosestabiologistcangettoprovingGodandimmortalityatone
stroke[?]
IfEinsteinwantedtowriteRandomnessdoesnotlieattheheartofallthings,asDawkinsso
effortlesslydid,Einsteinwouldhavewrittenso.ButEinsteindidnot,insteadconsistentlyre
phrasinghisproblemwithBohrsCopenhagenInterpretationofquantummechanics:
AsIhavesaidsomanytimes,Goddoesntplaydicewiththeworld.
Indeed,individualfailingscanundermineneitherthetruthsglimpsedbythesciencesnorthose
byreligions.Andagain,thisisnotastatementthatcanbeproven;rather,itisthepredetermined
beliefsystemofalargemajorityoftheoreticalphysicistsandpsychologiststhathasbeenlargely
ignoredbytheprophetsofNewAtheismandthematerialistdomineersofacademia.According
toparticlephysicistFritjofCaprascountercultureclassic,TheTaoofPhysics:
MysticsunderstandtherootsoftheTaobutnotitsbranches;scientistsunderstandits
branchesbutnotitsroots.Sciencedoesnotneedmysticismandmysticismdoesnotneed
science;butmanneedsboth.
AldousHuxley,inthetraditionofGottfriedLeibniz,completedThePerennialPhilosophy,a
studyofcomparativereligionandmysticism,in1945.Huxleytellsusthat
RudimentsofthePerennialPhilosophymaybefoundamongthetraditionaryloreof
primitivepeoplesineveryregionoftheworld,andinitsfullydevelopedformsithasa
placeineveryoneofthehigherreligions.AversionofthisHighestCommonFactorin
allprecedingandsubsequenttheologieswasfirstcommittedtowritingmorethantwenty
fivecenturiesago,andsincethattimetheinexhaustiblethemehasbeentreatedagainand

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again,fromthestandpointofeveryreligioustraditionandinalltheprincipallanguages
ofAsiaandEurope.
TounderstandHuxleysbeliefininnerdivinity,wemustfirstrecognizethatthoughManmay
becomeGod,Godmayindeedstillbedead.AsNietzschephraseditinTheGayScience:
Wehavekilled[God].Howshallwecomfortourselves,themurderersofallmurderers?
Whatwasholiestandmightiestofallthattheworldhasyetownedhasbledtodeath
underourknives:whowillwipethisbloodoffus?Whatwateristhereforustoclean
ourselves?Whatfestivalsofatonement,whatsacredgamesshallwehavetoinvent?Is
notthegreatnessofthisdeedtoogreatforus?Mustweourselvesnotbecomegods
simplytoappearworthyofit?
AlbertEinsteinputtheproblemofMansrelationtoGodthisway:
IamnotanAtheist.IdonotknowifIcandefinemyselfasaPantheist.Theproblem
involvedistoovastforourlimitedminds.MayInotreplywithaparable?Thehuman
mind,nomatterhowhighlytrained,cannotgrasptheuniverse.Weareinthepositionofa
littlechild,enteringahugelibrarywhosewallsarecoveredtotheceilingwithbooksin
manydifferenttongues.Thechildknowsthatsomeonemusthavewrittenthosebooks.It
doesnotknowwhoorhow.Itdoesnotunderstandthelanguagesinwhichtheyare
written.Thechildnotesadefiniteplaninthearrangementofthebooks,amysterious
order,whichitdoesnotcomprehend,butonlydimlysuspects.That,itseemstome,isthe
attitudeofthehumanmind,eventhegreatestandmostcultured,towardGod.Weseea
universemarvelouslyarranged,obeyingcertainlaws,butweunderstandthelawsonly
dimly.Ourlimitedmindscannotgraspthemysteriousforcethatswaystheconstellations.
IamfascinatedbySpinozasPantheism.Iadmireevenmorehiscontributionstomodern
thought.Spinozaisthegreatestofmodernphilosophers,becauseheisthefirst
philosopherwhodealswiththesoulandthebodyasone,notastwoseparatethings.
OnemustntthereforegettoocaughtuponanysingleconceptionordefinitionofGod.AsBohr
forewarned,wemustbeclearthatwhenitcomestoatoms,languagecanbeusedonlyasin
poetry.HeadpropagandisttotheAmericanRevolution,adeist,ascientist,andaRenaissance
man,ThomasPainedefinedthegoalofsciencethuslyinTheAgeofReason,thebookthat
ultimatelyturnedthewholecountryagainsthimforquestioningandinsultingtheChristianfaith:
Thatwhichisnowcallednaturalphilosophy,embracingthewholecircleofscience,of
whichastronomyoccupiesthechiefplace,isthestudyoftheworksofGod,andofthe
powerandwisdomofGodinhisworks,andisthetruetheology.
Astothetheologythatisnowstudiedinitsplace,itisthestudyofhumanopinionsand
ofhumanfanciesconcerningGod.ItisnotthestudyofGodhimselfintheworksthathe
hasmade,butintheworksorwritingsthatmanhasmade.

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Nearlytwocenturieslater,Schrdingerwouldexpressadeepandprofoundconcernthatthe
naturalismofsciencehadbecomingincreasinglysynonymouswiththematerialismofatheism:
Thescientificpictureoftheworldaroundmeisverydeficient.Itgivesmealotoffactual
information,putsallourexperiencesinamagnificentlyconsistentorder,butisghastly
silentaboutallthatisreallyneartoourheart,thatreallymatterstous.Itcannottella
wordaboutthesensationofredandblue.Bitterorsweet,feelingsofdelightandsorrow.
Itknowsnothingofbeautyandugly,goodorbad,Godandeternity.Sciencesometimes
pretendstoanswerquestionsinthesedomains,buttheanswersareveryoftensosillythat
wearenotinclinedtotakethemseriously.
ScienceisreticenttoowhatitisaquestionofthegreatUnityofwhichwesomehowform
apart,towhichwebelong.ThemostpopularnameforitinourtimeisGod,witha
capitalG.Scienceis,veryusually,brandedasbeingatheistic.Afterwhatwehavesaid
thisisnotastonishing.Ifitsworldpicturedoesnotevencontainbeauty,delight,sorrow,
ifpersonalityiscutoutofitbyagreement,howshoulditcontainthemostsublimeidea
thatpresentsitselftothehumanmind?
QuotingSchopenhauerfrommemory(himselfquotingapoemfromeithertheVedantaorthe
Bhagavadgita,whichisinspiredbythesamespirit),Schrdingerelaborates:
TheoneallhighestGodhead
Subsidingineachbeing
Andlivingwhentheyperish
Whothishasseen,isseeing.
ForhewhohasthathighestGodinallthingsfound,
Thatmanwillofhimselfuponhimselfinflictnowound.
Einstein,havingtooreadSchopenhauerduringhisownyouth,referencesTheWorldasWilland
RepresentationinTheWorldasISeeIt:
InhumanfreedominthephilosophicalsenseIamdefinitelyadisbeliever.Everybody
actsnotonlyunderexternalcompulsionbutalsoinaccordancewithinnernecessity.
Schopenhauerssaying,thatamancandoashewill,butnotwillashewill,hasbeen
aninspirationtomesincemyyouthup,andacontinualconsolationandunfailingwell
springofpatienceinthefaceofthehardshipsoflife,myownandothers.Thisfeeling
mercilesslymitigatesthesenseofresponsibilitywhichsoeasilybecomesparalyzing,and
itpreventsusfromtakingourselvesandotherpeopletooseriously;itconducestoaview
oflifeinwhichhumor,aboveall,hasitsdueplace.
Einsteincontinues:
IcannotconceiveofaGodwhorewardsandpunisheshiscreatures,orhasawillofthe
typeofwhichweareconsciousinourselves.Anindividualwhoshouldsurvivehis

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physicaldeathisalsobeyondmycomprehension,nordoIwishitotherwise;suchnotions
areforthefearsorabsurdegoismoffeeblesouls.Enoughformethemysteryofthe
eternityoflife,andtheinklingofthemarvelousstructureofreality,togetherwiththe
singleheartedendeavortocomprehendaportion,beitneversotiny,ofthereasonthat
manifestsitselfinnature.
Itiswithregardtothejuxtapositionofthesetwoopposites(theeternityoflifeandan
individualwhoshouldsurvivehisphysicaldeath)thatonemustconsiderSchrdingers
preferencefortheimmortalityofthesoul,abelieflargelyderivedfromSchopenhauer,
Parmenides,andtheVedanta:
Brieflystated,[Iadvocate]theviewthatallofuslivingbeingsbelongtogetherinas
muchasweareallinrealitysidesoraspectsofonesinglebeing,whichmayperhapsin
WesternterminologybecalledGodwhileintheUpanishadsitsnameisBrahman.
ThisishardlyadifferentviewfromthatofSpinoza(alsoaprofoundintellectualinfluenceon
Schrdinger),for[whom]thehumanbodyisamodificationoftheinfinitesubstance(God),in
sofarasitisexpressedintheattributeofextension,andthehumanmindisthatsame
modification,butexpressedintheattributeofthought.
ConsiderEinstein:
IbelieveinSpinoza'sGod,whorevealsHimselfinthelawfulharmonyoftheworld,not
inaGodwhoconcernsHimselfwiththefateandthedoingsofmankind.
Now,asSchrdingerseesit:
ThestructureofwhatIcallmyhigherspiritualselfisindeedessentiallythedirect
consequenceofancestralevents,butnotexclusivelynorprincipallywithinthelimitsof
myphysicalancestors.Ifwhatfollowsistoseemanythingmorethanaboldpieceof
rhetoricaltrickery,itisnecessarytobeclearononepointconcerningthetwofactors
whichdetermineanindividualscourseofdevelopment,namely(a)thespecial
arrangementofhisgenes,and(b)thespecialpatternoftheenvironmentwhichworkson
him;itisnecessary,Isay,torealizethatthesetwofactorsareofquitethesamenature,in
thatthespecialarrangementofthegenes,withallthepossibilitiesofdevelopmentwhich
itcontains,hasdevelopedundertheinfluenceofandinessentialdependenceonearlier
environments.
Therefore,itoughtfollowquitenaturallythat
TheSelfisnotsomuchlinkedwithwhathappenedtoitsancestors,itisnotsomuchthe
product,andmerelytheproduct,ofallthat,butrather,inthestrictestsenseoftheword,
theSAMETHINGasallthat:thestrict,directcontinuationofit,justastheSelfaged
fiftyisthecontinuationoftheSelfagedforty.

Thelogicalandultimateconclusionofthistrainofthought,asSchrdingerseesit,isnothingless
thanimmortality,sincetimeisnoneotherthanacreationoftheSelf:
Itisratherremarkablethatwhereaswesternphilosophyhasalmostuniversallyaccepted
theideathatthedeathoftheindividualdoesnotputanendtoanythingthatisofthe
essenceoflife,ithas(withtheexceptionofPlatoandSchopenhauer)bestowedhardlya
thoughtonthisotheridea,muchdeeperandmoreintimatelyjoyful,whichlogicallygoes
handinhandwithit:theideathatthesamethingappliestoindividualbirth,atwhich
whathappensisnotthatIamcreatedforthefirsttimebutthatIslowlyawakenasthough
fromadeepsleep.ThenIcanseemyhopesandstrivings,myfearsandcaresasthesame
asthosethousandswhohavelivedbeforeme,andImayhopethatfuturecenturiesmay
bringfulfillmenttomyyearningsofcenturiesago.Noseedofthoughtcangerminatein
meexceptasthecontinuationofsomeforebear;notreallyanewseedbutthe
predeterminedunfoldingofabudontheancient,sacredtreeoflife.
OnlynowcanwetrulyenvisagewhatwasatstakeinEinsteinsqualmtoBohraboutwhether
Godcanbesaidtoplaydicewiththeuniverse.Ifquantumeventsaretrulyrandom,then
thoughtsdoandwillinfactgerminatewithoutcontinuation,andtheconceptofapredetermined
unfoldingofabudontheancient,sacredtreeoflifeisthereforerenderedmeaninglessand
antiquated.SchrdingerandEinsteinboththoughtthatCopenhagenwasnavewithits
interjectionofquantumjumpsandquantumrandomness,thoughneithermanwasultimately
abletopresentamoresuccessfultheoreticalmodel.
Wearethusleftasking:whatdoquantumphysics,theNewAtheists,thepsychedelicmovement,
andIndianpoetryhaveincommon?
UnfortunatelyforNewAtheism,theprocessofansweringthissinglequestionwillsignificantly
underminetheworldviewofacademicmaterialism.Butthatisindeedforthecollateralbenefitof
therestofus.AsLawrenceKraussembarrassinglybotchesepistemologyandmetaphysicsinhis
2012book,AUniverseFromNothing:
Ifthelawsofnaturearestochasticandrandom,thenthereisnoprescribedcausefor
ouruniverseWhyistheresomethingratherthannothing?Ultimately,thisquestionmay
benomoresignificantorprofoundthanaskingwhyflowersareredandsomeareblue.
Somethingmayalwayscomefromnothing.Itmayberequired,independentofthe
underlyingnatureofreality.
Thissimplybegsthequestionandsaysnothinguseful.Requiredbywhomus?Ifthatsthe
case,whyshouldourcollectivepseudodesiretoinhabitsomecosmosculminateintheexistence
ofsuchanastralplane?Heblundersmetaphysicsintheepilogueevenmoreembarrassingly:

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AGodoraNaturethatcouldencompassesamultiversewouldbeasconstrainedinthe
creationofauniverseinwhichEinsteincouldaskthequestionaseitherwouldbeifthere
isonlyonechoiceofaconsistentphysicalreality.
Ifindoddlysatisfyingthepossibilitythat,ineitherscenario,evenaseemingly
omnipotentGodwouldhavenofreedominthecreationofouruniverse.Nodoubt
becauseitfurthersuggeststhatGodisunnecessaryoratbestredundant.
Schrdinger,astaunchGermanIdealist,deemedthisoutlooksophistry:
Nowweareaskedtobelievethatthisspecialmodificationintheevolutionofthehigher
mammals[theemergenceofthebrainasahighlyspecializedphenomenon]hadto
happeninorderthattheworldshoulddawnitselfinthelightofconsciousness;whereas,
ifithadnotemerged,thisworldwouldhaveremainednothingbutadramaplayedtoan
emptyhouse,notpresenttoanyoneandhencenotintherealsensepresentatall.
Ifthisisreallytheultimatewisdomtowhichwecanattaininthisquestion,thentomeit
seemstheutterbankruptcyofourpictureoftheworld.Andweoughtatleastto
acknowledgeit,andnotactasthoughitdidnotmattertous,orjeer,inourrationalistic
wisdom,atthosewhotrytofindawayout,howeverdesperate.
OtherfoundersofthequantumtheorywouldlikelyandlargelyagreethatKrausssquantum
cosmologicalphilosophyisamisuseoftheoreticalphysicsgenerally,theBigBangmodel,orthe
theoryoftheprimevalatomspecifically,andtheatomictheoryespecially.CompareMaxwell
Planck,aselfconfessedChristian:
Iregardconsciousnessasfundamental.Iregardmatterasderivativefromconsciousness.
Wecannotgetbehindconsciousness.Everythingthatwetalkabout,everythingthatwe
regardasexisting,postulatesconsciousness.
NielsBohr,theprincipalauthorofCopenhagen,similarlyheldthat
[Becauseofthe]limitedapplicabilityofsuchcustomaryidealizations[oftheatomic
theory]wemustinfactturntoquiteotherbranchesofscience[]whentryingto
harmonizeourpositionasspectatorsandactorsinthegreatdramaofexistence.
ForSchrdinger,anatomicphysicistandexpertonstatisticalmechanics,thepowerfultheoryof
heatandtemperaturederivedfromtheworksofthegreatLudwigBoltzmann,theatomic
theorypostulatedaworldofmerephantomsorarchetypes,reminiscentofPlatosAllegoryofthe
CaveandTheoryoftheForms,bothconceptsreferencedinChapter5(andbeyond),Science
andReligion,ofMindandMatter:

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IntheworldofphysicswewatchashadowgraphperformanceoffamiliarlifeThefrank
realizationthatphysicalscienceisconcernedwithaworldofshadowsisoneofthemost
significantofrecentadvances.
Furtherclarifyingthattheatomictheoryhadinfactpossessed[itsshadowycharacter]ever
sinceDemocritusofAbderaandevenbefore,butwewerenotawareofit,Schrdingerfurther
claimsthat
Thematerialworldhasonlybeenconstructedatthepriceoftakingtheself,thatis,mind,
outofit,removingit;mindisnotpartofit;obviously,therefore,itcanneitheractonit
norbeactedonbyanyofitsparts.
Foranatomicphysicist,thisleadstoacounterintuitiveandsomewhatparadoxicalconclusion:
Theexternalworldandconsciousnessareoneandthesamething,insofarasbothare
constitutedbythesameprimitiveelements.Butwearethenhardlyevenusingadifferent
formulawhetherweexpresstheessentialcommunityoftheseelementsinallindividuals
bysayingthatthereisonlyoneexternalworldorthatthereisonlyoneconsciousness.
Wehavethenforgottenwhoweare.TheDancingWuLiMastersdefinesourconflictsuccinctly:
Physicshasbecomeabranchofpsychology,orperhapstheotherwayround.
CarlJung,theSwisspsychologist,wrote:
Thepsychologicalrulesaysthatwhenaninnersituationisnotmadeconscious,it
happensoutside,asfate.Thatistosay,whentheindividualremainsundivided
anddoesnotbecomeconsciousofhisinnercontradictions,theworldmust
perforceactouttheconflictandbetornintooppositehalves.
Jungsfriend,theNobelPrizewinningphysicist,WolfgangPauli,putitthisway:
Fromaninnercenterthepsycheseemstomoveoutward,inthesenseofan
extraversion,intothephysicalworld
Ifthesemenarecorrect,thenphysicsisthestudyofthestructureofconsciousness.
WemustthereforeagainconsidertheEthicsofEinsteinsfavoritephilosopher,Spinoza:
Thehumanmindcannotbeabsolutelydestroyedwiththebody,butsomethingofit
remainswhichiseternal.

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Einsteinspseudoreligiousqualmsabouttheinadmissibilityofquantumtheorycannotbe
logicallyseparatedfromhisstatementsabouttheinfiniteMindofGod,madeinlinewiththe
philosophyofSpinozaandtheGermanIdealiststowhomhelikelysubscribed:
ScientistssuchasEinsteinandPoincarehadinsistedontheimportanceofintuitionin
creativethinking.Logicalonecannotleadtothediscoveryofscientifictheories,they
said.
UnderstoodinlightofthemorerecentspeculationmadebySirRogerPenrose(itselfinspiredby
theearlierconjecturesofMaxwellPlanckandErwinSchrdingerregardingthedistinction
betweenmechanisticlaworderfromorderandstatisticallaworderfromdisorder)that
humanconsciousnessisanonalgorithmicorquantumprocess,thisisatellingsuggestionabout
thenonlinearnatureoftheworldindeed.Thoughdrawinginspirationfromhisownintellectual
progenitor,WolfgangPauliobservedthehumanmindinayetolderveil:
because[JohannesKepler]looksatthesunandtheplanetswiththisarchetypalimagein
thebackgroundhebelieveswithreligiousfervorintheheliocentricsystem[Itishis
religiousbeliefthatimpels]himtosearchforthetruelawsofplanetarymotion.
ToKepler,theUniversewasatriumphofgeometry,thedisciplinewhichtohimrankedhighest
amongthesciences,theheliocentricmodelanembodimentoftheveryimageoftheHoly
Trinity.(ImagesofthewrathfulJewishGod,theChristianTrinity,andtheIndianBrahmanwill
beagainrelevantonalaterdate,alsopertainingalsotolessonsofatomicphysics.)
Godhimself,KeplerwroteinTheHarmoniesofTheWorld(1618),haswaitedsixthousand
yearsforhisworktobeseen,and
Iamindeedcastingthedieandwritingthebook,eitherformycontemporariesorfor
posteritytoread,itmattersnotwhich:letthebookawaititsreaderforahundredyears.
AsSchrdingerpreviouslyobserved,noseedofthoughtcangerminateexceptasthe
continuationofsomeforebear.ForPauli,thisforebearwasKepler.Tofurthercomplicatethese
mattersofthespirit,PauliandHeisenbergsshareddoctoraladvisorArnoldSommerfeld
infamouslyagreedwithSchrdingersassessmentoftheBohrmodel:thestrangenessofBohrs
minimalisticapproachtothemathematicsoftheatom,insertingquantumjumpsandquantum
randomness,wasoddlysomewhatKabbalistic(thoughfewpresentdaytheoreticiansagree).
Twoyearsbeforehisdeathin1961,Schrdingerwouldwriteinaletter:
Withveryfewexceptions(suchasEinsteinandLaue)alltherestofthetheoretical
physicistswereunadulteratedassesandIwastheonlysanepersonleftTheonegreat
dilemmathatailsusdayandnightisthewaveparticledilemma.
Hewouldgoon:

11

Ifwearestillgoingtoputupwiththesedamnquantumjumps,IamsorrythatIeverhad
anythingtodowithquantumtheory.
Andon:
Iamopposingnotafewspecialstatementsofquantumphysicsheldtoday,Iamopposing
asitwerethewholeofit,Iamopposingitsbasicviewsthathavebeenshaped25years
ago,whenmaxBornputforwardhisprobabilityinterpretation,whichwasacceptedby
almosteverybody.
JottingfurthernotesfromKeplersdocuments,theJewishquantumphysicistWolfgangPauli,
undergoingintensivepsychotherapyfromanalyticalpsychologist(andstudentofmysticism,
alchemy,andGnosticism)CarlJungasameansofdealingwithhisinfidelityandalcoholism,
foundhimselfenamoredbyJohannesKeplersMedievalChristianPlatonism:
TheMindofGod,whosecopyishere[onearth]thehumanmind,fromitsarchetype
retainstheimprintofthegeometricaldatafromtheverybeginningsofmankind.
Oragain:
Reasoniseternal.Thereforethegeometricalfiguresareeternal;andintheMindofGodit
hasbeentruefrometernitythat,forexample,thesquareofthesideofasquareequals
halfthesquareofthediagonal.Therefore,thequantitiesarethearchetypeoftheworld.
AsSchrdingerenvisagedsomanyyearsago,weneedsteerfarclearthebankruptsofmodern
rationalismaswellasthestillthinkingsillinessoffaithanddogmatism,aiminginsteadforthat
highidealofeternalreason,thespiritualdrivingforcebehindmodernmysticman:
Maywecallaworldthatnobodycontemplateseventhat?[]Aworldexistingformany
millionsofyearswithoutanymindbeingawareofit,contemplatingit,isitanythingat
all?Hasitexisted?
Wearethusrightlycautioned:
[Faith]isalltooreadytoopentoanysillynonsensethatcomesknockinggentlyatthe
door.Indeed,miracleisfaithsdearestchild.Andthemorefine,subtle,abstractand
sublimethatfaithmaybe,somuchthemorefearfullydoesmansweak,faintingspirit
snatchatmiracles,howeverfoolish,tobeitsstayandsupport.
deBroglieconcurred,thoughwithasomewhatdifferenttone:
Ifwewishtogivephilosophicexpressiontotheprofoundconnectionbetweenthought
andactioninallfieldsofhumanendeavor,particularlyinscience,weshallundoubtedly
havetoseekitssourcesintheunfathomabledepthsofthehumansoul.Perhaps

12
philosophersmightcallitloveinaverygeneralsensethatforcewhichdirectsallour
actions,whichisthesourceofallourdelightsandallourpursuits.Indissolublylinked
withthoughtandwithaction,loveistheircommonmainspringand,hence,theircommon
bond.Theengineersofthefuturehaveanessentialparttoplayincementingthisbond.
Havingearlierlinkedthesurvivaloflivingmatterwiththeprocessofmetabolism,thatchaos
reducingcapabilityofconsciousness,Schrdingerwouldlikelyhavefoundgreatinspirationin
thewordsofTeilharddeChardin,philosopher,evolutionist,andJesuitpriest,writingin1934:
Whatparalyzeslifeislackoffaithandlackofaudacity.Thedifficultyliesnotinsolving
problemsbutexpressingthemSomeday,afterwehavemasteredthewinds,thewaves,
thetidesandgravity,weshallharnessforGodtheenergiesoflove.Thenforthesecond
timeinthehistoryoftheworld,manwillhavediscoveredfire.
Amere11yearslaterinJuly1945,Dr.JuliusRobertOppenheimerwouldoverseethesuccessful
creationofatomicweaponryatLosAlamos,deployedfirstatatestsitehecodenamedTrinity.
Intheaftermathofthissubatomicfirefirstknownonlyfromthestars,Oppenheimerrecounted
howhisownfaithwasrewarded:
Weknewtheworldwouldnotbethesame[afterTrinity].Afewpeoplelaughed,afew
peoplecried,mostpeopleweresilent.IrememberedthelinefromtheHinduscripture,
theBhagavadGita;VishnuistryingtopersuadethePrincethatheshoulddohisduty
and,toimpresshim,takesonhismultiarmedformandsays,NowIambecomeDeath,
thedestroyerofworlds.Isupposeweallthoughtthat,onewayoranother.
Andwhatofthedestruction?AstheHinduepic,theGita,assuresitsreaders,thosewhoare
wiselamentneitherforthelivingnorforthedead.Schrdingerhimselfnowspeakingfrom
hisexpertiseincosmologyandgeneralrelativityrenderstheissueofdeaththusly,having
previouslyassumedtheinadvisabilityoflocatingamansthoughtsandideasinhishead:
Materialismoffersneither[ethicalcontentnordeepreligiousconsolation];thoughthere
aremanypeoplewhoconvincethemselvesthattheideawhichastronomygivesusof
myriadsofsunswith,perhaps,inhabitableplanets,andofamultitudeofgalaxies,each
withmyriadsofsuchsuns,andultimatelyofaprobablyfiniteuniverse,affordsusasort
ofethicalandreligiouslyconsolingvision,mediatedtooursensesbytheindescribable
panoramaofthestarryheavensonaclearnight.Tomepersonally,allthatismaya
[illusion,atermfromBuddhismandVedanta],albeitmayainaveryinterestingform,
exhibitinglawsofgreatregularity.Ithaslittletodowithmyeternal[genetic]inheritance
(toexpressmyselfinathoroughlymedievalfashion).Butthatisamatteroftaste.
Indeed,asRobertAntonWilsonwritesofhisQuantumPsychology,Somesayitsmaterialistic,
otherscallitscientificandstillothersinsistitsmystical.Itsalloftheseandnone.Further
clarifyinghisownIndianmysticism,SchrdingerendsWhatisLife?,hismagnumopusof
theoreticalbiology,withtwometaphors:

13

Inadreamwedoperformseveralcharactersatthesamebut,butnotindiscriminately:we
areoneofthem;inhim,weactandspeakdirectly,whileweofteneagerlyawaitthe
answerorresponseofanotherperson,unawareofthefactthatitiswewhocontrolhis
movementsandhisspeechjustasmuchasourown
Evenifaskilledhypnotistsucceededinblottingourentirelyallyourearlier
reminiscences,youwouldnotfindthathehadkilledyou.Innocaseistherealossof
personalexistencetodeplore.
Norwillthereeverbe.
Inanotetotheepilogue,Schrdinger,somethingofapoetinhisyouth,comments:
ThepointofviewtakenherelevelswithwhatAldousHuxleyhasrecentlyandvery
appropriatelycalledtheThePerennialPhilosophy.Hisbeautifulbookissingularlyfit
toexplainnotonlythestateofaffairs,butalsowhyitissodifficulttograspandsolikely
tomeetwithopposition.
Accordingly,TheNewYorkTimesdeemedHuxleysabidinganalysisofspiritualityand
religiousmysticism,themostneededbookintheworldamasterpiece.

14
[WernerHeisenberg]toldmesomethinginterestingthatIhaveneverreadanywhere,andthat
wasthathewastheguestofRabindranathTagore,thefamousIndianpoetandphilosopher,
when[he]wasinIndia,andhehadlongdiscussionswithTagoreaboutIndianphilosophy,
aboutWesternscience.AndHeisenbergtoldmethatthesediscussionshadhelpedhimvery
muchbecausetheyhadshownhimthatthisnewkindofworldviewthatwasemergingfrom
quantumphysicswasinfactnotsocrazy,thatinfacttherewasanentireculture,theIndian
culture,thatwasbuiltonthepremisesofindeterminacy,relativity,interconnectedness,the
dynamicnatureoftheworldtheveryconceptsthatemergedfromphysics.SoHeisenberg
waswellawareoftheparallels,andjusttosumitup,hesaidtomewhenIclosedmy
manuscript[toTheTaoofPhysics],verbatim,basically,Iminfullagreementwithyou.
Nowtome,asanunknownauthor,withamanuscriptthatwasverydifficulttoselltoa
publisher,thiswasofcourseextremelysatisfying,andIlefthisofficeveryhappy,anditgave
mearealimpetus.
FritjofCapra,authorofTheTaoofPhysics(1975)andTheSystemsViewofLife(2014)
Slowly, almost unobserved, that spark of ancient Indian wisdom, which the marvelous Rabbi
had kindled to new flame beside the Jordan, flickered out; the light faded from the re-born
sun of Greece, whose rays had ripened the fruits we now enjoy.
The people no longer know anything of these things.
Erwin Schrdinger, 1933 Nobel Prize in Physics, Director of Dublin IAS

Those general notions about human understandingwhich are illustrated by discoveries in

atomic physics are not in the nature of things wholly unfamiliar, wholly unheard of, or new.
Even in our own culture they have a history, and in the Buddhist and Hindu thought a more
considerable and central place.
J.RobertOppenheimer,fatheroftheatomicbomb,DirectoroftheIAS

Theexternalworldandconsciousnessareoneandthesamething,insofarasbothare
constitutedbythesameprimitiveelements.Butwearethenhardlyevenusingadifferent
formulawhetherweexpresstheessentialcommunityoftheseelementsinallindividualsby
sayingthatthereisonlyoneexternalworldorthatthereisonlyoneconsciousness.
ErwinSchrdinger,1925essaypublishedinMyViewoftheWorld(1960)

15

I do not believe in the possible future of mysticism in the old form. However, I do believe
that the natural sciences will out of themselves bring forth a counter pole in their adherents,
which connects with the old mystic elements.
Wolfgang Pauli, 1945 Nobel Prize in Physics

Diraccould
disapproves
particularly
of thebydishonesty
self-deception
that areoffara very
too often
One
perhapsquite
describe
the situation
saying thatand
God
is a mathematician
coupled
to religious
thought.
in his mathematics
abhorrence heinhas
become a the
fanatic
defender of
high
order,
and He used
very But
advanced
constructing
universe.
rationalism, and I have the feeling that rationalism is not enough.
Paul Dirac, 1933 Nobel Prize in Physics
Werner Heisenberg, 1932 Nobel Prize in Physics

If[CarlJungandWolfgangPauli]arecorrect,thenphysicsisthestudyofthestructureof
consciousness.
The Dancing Wu Li Masters: An Overview of the New Physics

For a parallel to the lesson of atomic theory[we must turn] to those kinds of
epistemological problems with which already thinkers like the Buddha and Lao Tzu have
been confronted.
Niels Bohr, 1922 Nobel Prize in Physics

Our common sense seems to be stuck somewhere in the sixteenth century. It has also been
generally forgotten that many of the patriarchs of physics in the first half of the twentieth
century regularly impugned the physicality of the universe and placed mindor thoughts,
or consciousness itselfat the very wellspring of reality. Nonreductive views like those of
Arthur Eddington, James Jeans, Wolfgang Pauli, Werner Heisenberg, and Erwin Schrdinger
seem to have had no lasting impact.
Neuroscientist Dr. Sam Harris, New Atheist, former drug user, Waking Up

16

The theory of growing disorder, or increasing entropy, is called the second law of
thermodynamics. The second law of thermodynamics is statisticalGenerally speaking,
individual subatomic particles are conceived as such conceptually isolated, short-lived
entities that the second law of thermodynamics does not apply to them. It does apply,
however, to molecules, which are quite complex compared to subatomic particles; to living
cells, which are more complex than molecules; and to people, who are made of billions of
cells. It is only at the subatomic, or quantum, level that the forward flow of time loses its
significance.
However, there is speculation, and some evidence, that consciousness, at the most
fundamental levels, is a quantum process. The dark-adapted eye, for example, can detect a
single photon. If this is so then it is conceivable that by expanding our awareness to include
functions which normally lie beyond its parameters we can become aware of (experience)
these processes themselves. If, at the quantum level, the flow of time has no meaning, and if
consciousness is fundamentally a similar process, and if we can become aware of these
processes within ourselves, then it is also conceivable that we can experience timelessness.
If we can experience the most fundamental functions of our psyche, and if they are quantum
in nature, then it is possible that the ordinary conceptions of space and time might not apply
to them at all (as they dont seem to apply in dreams). Such an experience would be hard to
describe rationally (Infinity in a grain of sand/And eternity in an hour), but it would be very
real, indeed. For this reason, reports of time distortion and timelessness from gurus in the
East and psychotropic drug users in the West ought not, perhaps, to be discarded
peremptorily.
The Dancing Wu Li Masters: An Overview of the New Physics
There must be thousands of young persons whose nervous systems were expanded and
opened-up in the 1960s and who have now reached positions of competence in the sciences
We expect the new wave of turned-on young mathematicians, physicists, and astronomers are
more able to use their energized nervous systems as tools to provide new correlations
between psychology and science.
Clinical Psychologist Dr. Timothy Leary, Harvard Psychedelic Researcher