The Quantum & The Divine.

Overview

– The Key Quantum mechanics observations and discoveries.
– The Parallels between metaphysical outlooks of traditional mystic thought and modern Quantum theorists.
– And the creedal consequences of the leading Quantum theories in Islamic Theology.

[This article assumes that the reader has a sub-par understanding of Quantum concepts like Superposition (Schrodinger’s Cat Exp), Heisenberg’s Uncertainty principle, Quantum entanglement and Wave-Particle Duality (Young’s double-slit exp). Moreover a basic idea Mystic (eastern and western) thought is also assumed]

Key Quantum Mechanics discoveries and observations

Quantum physics is the science and study of the tiniest most building blocks of our reality. QM has to study with the motion, behaviour, existence and interaction of the absolute primary sub-atomic particles of existence like Quarks, Photons, Neutrons etc.

QM although the most absurd and technical of all natural sciences has received quite a lot of attention by not only the scientific community but by the media and curious laymen as well. The reason being the very absurd and unfathomable nature of the discoveries and claims it makes about our reality. Its safe to say that QM defies the laws of nature, reality and at times apparently even those of logic.

Briefly the major foundational ideas of OM are such
-(Criminally Oversimplified)

– Heisenbergs Uncertainty Principle – we cannot know both the position and speed of a particle, such as a photon or electron, with perfect accuracy; the more we nail down the particle’s position, the less we know about its speed and vice versa. Meaning that either a particles accurate speed can be known/observed or its precise location, both cannot be known at the exact same time because a precise observation of one messes up the observation of the other.

– Schrodingers Cat Experiment (Quantum Superposition – This Experiment by the Austrian Physicist, in simple terms hypothesised that unless a locked unobserved-system is exposed to consciousness or observation, all the possible outcomes of that system exist simultaneously. Meaning that if the cat had 50/50 probability of dying or surviving in the locked box, unless the box is exposed to an observing Consciousness, the Cat (which in truth is a sub-atomic particle) is both Alive and Dead in the box at the same time. And only when the system is measured, the superposition of the particles (Which are – All the possible existing outcomes : Death and Life in this case) collapses and one of the two (or many) probable outcomes are actualised and hence we only observe the cat as either dead or Alive through observation.

– Young’s Double Slit Experiment (Particle-Wave Duality) – The foundations of Quantum physics are based on the idea that atoms behave both as Particles and Waves, depending on we don’t even know exactly what’. Termed the central mystery of Quantum Mechanics. This experiment was a breakthrough in physics. The major finding was that Light behaves both as waves and particles depending on basically conscious observation/measurement. Meaning that when left unmeasured, photons behaved as waves, however when observed, they started behaving like particles. As if the mere inanimate photons had an awareness of consciousness observing them (Criminally oversimplified) and hence altered their behaviour accordingly during the experiment.

– Spooky Action At Distance (Quantum Entanglement) – Light is the Fastest thing in the Universe, 6th Grade Physics right? QE is a phenomena that even puzzled minds like Einstein. In short – If two sub-atomic particles get entangled once and then we separate them and place each of them the length of the entire universe apart (i.e. idek how many light years apart). A simple observation’ of one of the particles, at one end of the universe, will automatically & instantly change the state of the particle at the other end of the universe. Meaning if the state of one particle is iust observed (not altered) to be Spinning Upwards, the state of the other particles (just through the mere observation of the former) will be formed as spinning downwards. Meaning that a mere observation of one particle sends a signal to the particle (probably way faster than the speed of Light) at the other end, and hence it forms its own state, opposite to the state of the first particle all by itself. As if these inanimate particles communicate to each other.

Parallels between Metaphysical Outlooks of Traditional Mystic Thought and Modern Quantum Theorists.

Were you able to figure a constant theme in all these QM discoveries and theories? The most fascinating factor of QM is that it completely shatters the traditionally constructed /used scientific outlook of the reality. Almost all the foundational work in some way or the other hints towards an active relation between consciousness and the objective ‘Supposedly Inanimate’ reality. The mere natural/material building blocks of our universe, don’t seem to make sense to us under the definition of them being ‘Just Matter’

Not just that, but the founding fathers of QM have been vocal about another subtle observation – Which is that somehow there is a unifying underline between us and our reality, there are mysteriously placed puzzle pieces which point towards the inter-connectedness and unity of everything that exists. Here’s a few examples –

“Isolated material particles are mere abstractions, their properties/ significance is only definable and observable through their interaction with the other systems (whole)”

Neils Bohr (Copenhagen Interpretation)

“The World thus appears as a complicated tissue of events, in which connections of different kinds alternate or overlap or combine and thereby determine the texture of the Whole”

Werner Heisenberg

“One is led to a new notion of Unbroken Wholeness which denies the classical idea of analyzability of the world into separately and independently existing parts…We say that inseparable quantum interconnectedness of the whole universe is the fundamental reality…”

David Bohm (Pilot-Wave Interpretation)

And this realization of the unifying nature of the universe and its components is the first parallel between QM and the centuries old Eastern Mystic Philosophy, which is replete with such ideas.

“Things derive their being and nature by mutual dependence and are nothing in themselves”

Nagarjuna (Authoritative Buddhist Mystic)

“The Buddhist does not believe in an independent or separately existing external world into who dynamic forces one could insert himself, the external world and his inner world are simply two sides of the same fabric, in which threads of all forces and of all event, of all forms of consciousness and of their objects are woven into an inseparable net of endless mutually conditioned relation”

Lama Angarika (Buddhist Mystic)

These are just a couple of many. Its not at all a stretching statement to make that if we cover the names of the scientists and the mystics, it would be next to impossible to determine a distinction between the fields of study of the writers. It’s as if they have a unanimous agreement on the interdependent nature of the reality at every level although belonging to two completely contrasting models of epistemology. There multiple other scenarios where the expressions and rhetoric used to describe the reality is almost identical, such as –

“The problems of language here are really serious. We wish to speak in some way about the structure of a particle But we cannot speak about atoms in an ordinary language”

“The most difficult problem. concerning the use of the language arises in quantum theory. Here we have at first no simple guide for correlating our mathematical ideas with the concepts of ordinary language; and the only thing we know from the start is the fact that our common concepts fail at the subatomic structures of particles

Werner Heisenberg

“The Contradiction so puzzling to the ordinary way of thinking comes from the fact that we have to use language to communicate our experiences which in their very nature transcend linguistics”

D. T. Suzuki (Japanese Zen Monk)

Plus anyone having the slightest of ideas about the Taoist philosophy would be able to discover the paradoxes and problems of ordinary language (Koans) as a form of communication and the problem of paradoxical nature of some experiences at the very heart of the Eastern Tradition. And anyone having the most basic understanding of QM would know about quotes such as “if anyone claims to understand QM, they haven’t understood QM” Therefore a realization of the paradoxical essence of reality in relation to human epistemology lies at the centre of both the sciences.

And anyone who thinks that this relation and such parallels are being forced, here’s a little something from the fathers of QM.

“For a parallel to the lesson of atomic theory. we must turn to those kinds of epistemological problems which with thinkers like Buddha and Lao Tzu have been confronted, when trying to harmonize our position as spectators and actors in the great drama of existence”

Neils Bohr

“The great scientific contribution in the theoretical physics that have come trom lapan may be an indication of certain relationship between philosophical ideas in the traditions of far eat and the philosophical substance of the Quantum theory”

Werner Heisenberg

Quantum Khudi.

Now its not like only the far east traditions have got works of wisdom to parallel the Quantum Theory worldview, the Islamic tradition too boasts thinkers like Iqbal whose philosophical thought can fit perfectly with the discoveries of QM.

In fact the most popular and well studied primary idea of Igbal revolves around stages of consciousness in reality. Just how we discussed previously, an observer’s internal consciousness and the objective external reality aren’t as distinct as they might appear to be – they are in fact interdependent. And hence the line between a conscious mind and inanimate matter is quite blurry.

Iqbal too had a concept of stages of consciousness, according to the Poet of the East everything in existence was nothing but a stage of consciousness or KHUDI i.e. level of intuitional awareness of ‘I am-ness’ (ego-hood). And it was the degree of the intuition of I am-ness that determines the place and significance of a thing in the cosmic scale of being. In simple terms Allama believed that from the smallest of the particles of existence, to the entire collective universe and all individual entities in it, everything derived its nature from the degree of intuitional presence they had about their Wujood and its relation to the entire cosmic reality. And due to this framework, it wasn’t an issue from Iqbal to conclude that since the consciousness and the apparent outward reality belong to the same fabric, consciousness and observer can affect the objective reality just by being a faithful spectator. And all this is exactly how the physicists and the Taoist Mystics think that there seem to be no separate entities, and everything is what it is in relation to the whole it belongs to.

if understood, Iqbal’s concept is basically an advanced philosophical understanding of the Quantum theory outlook fused with the traditional eastern metaphysics. Just that Iqbal believed God to be Absolute Intuitional Presence, through whom everything derived its nature from and since everything’s contingent on God for their Degree of I-am-ness – everything is interlinked somehow through this metaphysical circumambulation around the same & only Ultimate I-am-ness.

The (Islamic) Theological Consequences of Quantum Theories

Quantum Mechanics is a world of absurdities to say the least, no wonder its used as a cheat-code to explain every scientific plot hole in a sci-fi movie. And ofcourse to solve this web of absurdities the scientists have purposed number of theories to try to make sense of the Quantum discoveries. Here are the leading theories, and what follows is their Islamic Creedal consequences

– Copenhagen Interpretation: Usually the most widely accepted interpretation of Superposition Collapse through Consciousness. CI is the postulation that Conscious observation is what determines the state of a pre-measurement indeterministic simultaneously existing number of sub-atomic realities. An Observer collapses the wave function inside and unmeasured locked system and one of many possibilities emerge.

– Pilot Wave Theory: Almost compatible with a deistic worldview. PWT suggests that the state of a locked system is actually determined before measurement. And what governs and limits the superposition is actually a Pilot Wave that exists outside the 3 dimensions. The possibility that the observers discovers has nothing to do with the consciousness, but is determined but an outside Pilot wave.

– Many Worlds Interpretation: The Marvel Multiverse is explained through this interpretation. According to the MWI, there exists a determinate state before observation in one reality. And an observation never collapses or limits the superposition but simply causes the reality to split into many worlds (universes). Meaning that every observer only measures the possibility of their Si own determinate reality, and when observed all the other superpositions and their possibilities split into different realities where each of them exist set independently as actualities.

Creedal Consequences –

– The Copenhagen Interpretation (some readings) stress the centrality of Human Consciousness is determining reality by collapsing the wave function through observation which proposes absolute Free Will in relation to real causality. Human will and consciousness are what control and govern the reality, which is a belief that is at least apparently in opposition to the Traditional Ahle Sunnah creedal position on free will and determinism, which strongly affirms determinism and has limitations on absolute free will. However TCI can be accommodated in an occasionalist worldview where everything has the command and Will of God directly involved although it might appear otherwise.

– The Pilot Wave Interpretation can be easily accepted into a muslim cosmology, where God already is the Governer and Sustainer of all our affairs. Just like PWI advocates an external administrating system, Islamic Theology believes in a God outside the boundaries of dimensions and time. However this Quantum Interpretation does have Hard Deterministic tendencies which according to some readings might completely undermine Free Will because in here it is the pilot wave ie. an external functionary which has an absolute effect on our reality and hence free will is nothing but an illusion.

– The Many Worlds hypothesis has been appealed to by some atheists in order to underestimate the Teleological Argument (Fine-tuning) for the existence of a Designer and that’s because in an infinite multiverse, that’s producing countless realities at every instance – the existence of an extremely improbable universe that supports life is not a big deal. Moreover this interpretation creates more problems than solutions, although an easy and fantastic position to hold, its consequences are both creedal and philosophical. As for muslims this interpretation would assume multiple existing universes and hence absurdities like multiple versions of the same prophets, (Although there does exist a weak prophetic tradition to support this idea), every human committing both good and evil, Every human being fully deserving of Hell and Heaven. Plus it would also mean countless realities with no intelligence or life and thus making it seem as if God is playing dice or God is dependent on this multiverse system to produce a Universe suitable for his Governance and application of His Divine Law. Therefore this interpretation at least for a muslim outlook wouldn’t make much sense

Other than that concepts such as Reverse Causality or Circular Causation aren’t specifically problems for theists but philosophers and scientists in general. If allowed or accepted such ideas would shatter the Philosophy of Science and the Scientific Method, turning scientific inquiries into a chance oriented jugglery, while disregarding almost everything we know about our universe (including Evolution).

Lastly, it should be noted that Quantum interpretations and theories shouldn’t be used by muslims to base their creedal beliefs upon or construct theological arguments on as we know, there cannot be anything more zanni (speculative & ambiguous) than the Quantum World. And nor can the atheists appeal to Quantum interpretations because debates and arguments assume syntax, logic and common sense. And as shown above, they all seem to break down in this science.