Quantum Enigma: Physics Encounters Consciousness | 
 enlarge | Authors: Bruce Rosenblum, Fred Kuttner
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Category: Book
List Price: $29.99
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Rating:  26 reviews
Sales Rank: 179937
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 224
Number Of Items: 1
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Dimensions (in): 9.3 x 6.4 x 1
ISBN: 019517559X
Dewey Decimal Number: 530.12
EAN: 9780195175592
Publication Date: June 29, 2006
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Product Description
The most successful theory in all of science--and the basis of one third of our economy--says the strangest things about the world and about us. Can you believe that physical reality is created by our observation of it? Physicists were forced to this conclusion, the quantum enigma, by what they observed in their laboratories.
Trying to understand the atom, physicists built quantum mechanics and found, to their embarrassment, that their theory intimately connects consciousness with the physical world. Quantum Enigma explores what that implies and why some founders of the theory became the foremost objectors to it. Schrodinger showed that it "absurdly" allowed a cat to be in a "superposition" simultaneously dead and alive. Einstein derided the theory's "spooky interactions." With Bell's Theorem, we now know Schrodinger's superpositions and Einstein's spooky interactions indeed exist.
Authors Bruce Rosenblum and Fred Kuttner explain all of this in non-technical terms with help from some fanciful stories and bits about the theory's developers. They present the quantum mystery honestly, with an emphasis on what is and what is not speculation.
Physics' encounter with consciousness is its skeleton in the closet. Because the authors open the closet and examine the skeleton, theirs is a controversial book. Quantum Enigma's description of the experimental quantum facts, and the quantum theory explaining them, is undisputed. Interpreting what it all means, however, is controversial.
Every interpretation of quantum physics encounters consciousness. Rosenblum and Kuttner therefore turn to exploring consciousness itself--and encounter quantum physics. Free will and anthropic principles become crucial issues, and the connection of consciousness with the cosmos suggested by some leading quantum cosmologists is mind-blowing.
Readers are brought to a boundary where the particular expertise of physicists is no longer a sure guide. They will find, instead, the facts and hints provided by quantum mechanics and the ability to speculate for themselves.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 21 more reviews...
 A Fascinating Inquiry Into An Enigma Of A "Mysterious World" July 30, 2006
Dr. Jonathan Dolhenty (Port Orford, OR United States)
107 out of 120 found this review helpful
First, I want assure readers who are not physicists, and even those who are not science-enabled, that they have nothing to fear in reading "Quantum Enigma: Physics Encounters Consciousness." The book is written for the ordinary literate reader and no understanding of physics or general science is assumed by the authors (both physicists). And it is a fascinating read!
I should like to think that virtually everyone is somewhat familiar with the term "quantum theory" (or quantum mechanics). Unless one has been living under a rock from birth, with no access to television, newspapers, or magazines, it is hard to escape from having some general idea of quantum physics and the contributions it has made to our modern technological environment. As the authors point out in Chapter Eight: "Quantum mechanics works well in science, but how important is it practically? In fact, one-third of our economy involves products based on quantum mechanics." For those who like percentages instead of fractions, that's 33 and 1/3 percent! That's a lot of products, including such common items as "lasers," transistors, and the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machines one hears about in hospital commercials all the time. Have a DVD player? Thank quantum mechanics. Have a new TV, cell phone, or microwave oven? Thank quantum mechanics. When one looks around at all the neat technological devices we have today, it is not difficult to see that "one-third of our economy involves products based on quantum mechanics."
Now that we have the importance of quantum mechanics out of the way, why was this book written in the first place? Well, for some physicists at least, the theory, in its deepest understanding, presents a situation which the authors refer to as the "quantum enigma." This "situation" may also be important to us ordinary thinking mortals as well and could be especially so for professional philosophers and students of philosophy. Why? Because the "situation" raises a fundamental question regarding the nature of what we commonly call "reality." But before we get into that matter, we need to ask: What is an "enigma"?
My Webster's New World Dictionary defines an enigma this way: "(1) a perplexing statement; riddle; hence, (2) a perplexing, baffling, or seemingly inexplicable matter...," -- and "mystery" may be an appropriate synonym. I think this definition is right on the mark for how the authors use the word "enigma" in their book. But what is the "enigma" discussed by the authors? Quantum mechanics (or theory) is part and parcel of an empirical science we know as "physics" and physics is considered a "physical" or "natural" science, a science which depends on such things as observations, quantitative measurements, systematic experimentation, testable hypotheses, and so on. The job of empirical scientists is to study phenomena "out there" in the natural (or physical) world without regard to any "nonphysical" entities which may or may not actually exist. They deal with "physical reality," an objectively-defined reality which exists "independently" of our observations or wishes. Or so it is supposed.
What would happen, however, if this supposition turns out to be not quite true or correct? What would happen if it turns out that quantum theory forces us to believe that "physical" reality is actually "created" by our observation of it? What would happen if quantum mechanics, supposedly a "physical" theory within a "physical" science, was shown to be "intimately connected" with "consciousness," a decidedly "nonphysical" phenomenon traditionally held to be within the domain of psychology, an academic discipline not usually categorized as a "physical" science (except for those who belong to the school of Behaviorism, of course -- once popular, now without much influence in the academy according to my sources). In other words, what happens when "physics encounters consciousness"? Hence the subtitle for this book and the "enigma" discussed.
The problem basically is this, as the authors explain: "Quantum theory ... tells us that observing an object to be someplace 'causes' it to be there. ... [A]ccording to quantum theory, an object can be in two, or many, places at once -- even far distant places. Its existence at the particular place it happens to be found becomes an actuality only upon its (conscious) observation. ... This seems to deny the existence of a physically real world independent of our observation of it." So, at this point, physics seems to encounter consciousness. And this seems to be the problematic "enigma" and it is, according to the authors (and some other physicists), a kind of "skeleton in the closet" for modern physics.
Now, this proposal that "observation creates reality" is not exactly new. In fact, it has been considered a traditional "philosophical" problem and discussed by philosophers for millennia. "To be is to be perceived" (or some variation thereof) is a proposition promulgated by philosophers who are "metaphysical idealists" or "epistemological idealists" (depending on whether "being" or "knowledge of being" is emphasized) and this philosophical position has always been the bane of more "realistic" philosophers, including yours truly, who falls entirely within the tradition of Classical Philosophical Realism and supports a position within that tradition called "contextual realism." I don't have a problem with the "enigma" that many physicists (and apparently the authors) do have. Unfortunately, space prohibits me from getting into this matter in any detail.
Although "Quantum Enigma" did not challenge my philosophical position, it was interesting to read about the various ways that physicists are attempting to deal with the "enigma." The authors note that their book is "controversial" and, indeed, I suspect that would be true among physicists and philosophers who hold to a philosophy of "scientific materialism." I found the book easily readable, although some may have to read the chapter about Schroedinger's cat more than once (can a cat be both dead and alive at the same time?). Thankfully, the authors provide a list of additional readings for both the general reader and advanced student and also a detailed index of topics. All in all, highly recommended.
Quantum Theory for Everyone September 25, 2006
Harold McFarland (Florida)
23 out of 23 found this review helpful
Quantum mechanics is one of the most tested and verified theories of modern physics. However, there are several parts of quantum mechanics that can only be described as bizarre. Of course the physicists discuss and argue the implications of the strange behavior of the quantum world but very few average people fully understand the problems. In Quantum Enigma the authors explain the history of quantum mechanics, how it was developed over the years, and why it is both the most cohesive theory of modern physics and at the same time the most controversial in its application. What makes their book exceptional is how easy it is to understand. Using simple language they are masters at taking a complex subject and explaining it in a way that anyone can understand. Quantum Enigma is highly recommended to anyone who wants to understand the basics of quantum mechanics including the various problems that come along with it.
Natures greatest trick February 4, 2007
Stephen Balbach (Ashton, MD United States)
23 out of 25 found this review helpful
"Quantum Enigma" opens with a colleague's objection to the book: "Though what you are saying is correct, presenting this information to non-scientists is the intellectual equivalent of allowing children to play with loaded guns."
Visualizing the quantum enigma is not difficult, the authors reveal it with stories and diagrams that any careful reader can understand. It is a lot like watching a magic show: the rabbit disappears - it is an enigma. But a disappearing rabbit we all know is a trick with some reasonable explanation that resolves the enigma. In the case of the quantum enigma, it is no trick, but an experimental fact, and the enigma remains unresolved. This creates a metaphysical crises once you really grasp the meaning of it, which is what makes this book so difficult, the implications and what it could mean. The authors call it physics' "skeleton in the closet", or a "loaded gun", because it is so strange in its implications and how it can be interpreted, it transcend physics, which makes many uncomfortable.
Beyond the quantum enigma and how scientists came to discover it, the book discusses consciousness studies and suggest, intuitively, that there is a connection between the quantum enigma and consciousness - perhaps understanding one can lead to the other. I found this the most provocative, and also the most difficult part to understand. The last 50-pages took nearly as long to read as the first 150 and I am still not on firm ground - but that may be the point, no one is. The implication that we are creating the universe as we discover it (John Wheeler's eye looking backwards) is great fun and makes paraphenomena and "law of attraction" and "what the bleep" stuff look small-minded when considering the possibility!
My only regret is I can not take the University of CA (Santa Cruz) course this book came out of as there are some areas that I just don't understand and could use further help with. It may be asking too much but some authors have web sites with FAQs, or forums, or even interact through Amazon. In any case hope to see and read more about this subject in the future.
A Breath of Fresh Air on the Quantum Quandry November 29, 2006
Dean DeHarpporte
19 out of 23 found this review helpful
I have read several books explaining the various interpretations of quantum theory but none as clear and complete as this one. A little humor thrown in helps too. But I have to disagree with some reviewers who found the book "easy" or "not difficult" to understand. Quantum theory is inherently complex and counterintutive, and the experiments involve concepts that even the layman with a science background will find challenging (at least this one did.) To their great credit, the authors have written about these concepts and experiments comprehensively and more clearly than any similar book I have read. But that doesn't mean the book does not challenge the mind. It does, which means I would not recommend it for those with no science background (and even less so for those many intelligent and well educated people who nevertheless are proud of their scientific ignorance - we have all met them). The author's paucity of jargon is refreshing. For example, the awkward word "nonlocality", though the concept is central to any discussion of quantum phenomena, is never used. The book is perhaps most distinguished by its fascinating, but not unplausible speculations, which scientists who have left their quantum enigma skeletons in their closets are too "scientifically correct" to make. In light of the author's intellectual courage, it is unfortunate that the important body of rigorous, scientific experiments in paraphenomena - which, like quantum experiments, point directly to human consciousness as the basis for future theories of these enigmatic phenomena - are rather glibly dismissed. Of course, the authors are not alone; almost no books written by scientists even mention this important body of scientific work.
Follows the evidence where it leads January 4, 2007
Free Thinker (USA)
16 out of 20 found this review helpful
This book is that rarest of gems: a work about science that actually makes its topic understandable to laypeople like myself. This is especially impressive given that the text deals with what is probably the most arcane and counter-intuitive field in science, quantum mechanics.
It leads the reader through a brief but informative tour of physics since Isaac Newton. It shows how the earlier classical ideas have given way to increasingly strange but undeniably true notions. These began with Einstein's understanding of time and space. These were followed by the eerie aspects of quantum physics, such as wave/particle duality, observer influenced experiments and the indisputable role that consciousness plays in whatever the heck is going on at the subatomic level.
The authors survey the primay interpretations of quantum phenomena, including the pros and cons of the Copenhagen interpretation. Their final comments affirm that, no matter what the "correct" answer turns out to be, the old paradigm of a material universe governed by impersonal laws is forever dead.
For a theist like myself, this is especially good news. It is difficult for atheists to argue credibly that idealism, discarnate consciousness and similar metaphysical concepts have been disproven when they lie at the heart of science's cutting edge. This book is highly recommended for all lovers of science and seekers of truth.
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