Because atomic behaviour is so unlike ordinary experience, it is very difficult to get used to, and it appears peculiar and mysterious to everyone ... we shall tackle immediately the basic element of the mysterious behaviour in its most strange form. We choose to examine a phenomenon which is impossible, absolutely impossible to explain in any classical way, and which has in it the heart of quantum mechanics. In reality it contains the only mystery. We cannot make the mystery go away by 'explaining' how it works. We will just tell you how it works. - Dr. Richard Feynman, Nobel Prize Laureate for Physics *
This book I am reading, "Quantum Physics and Theology, an unexpected kinship", by John Polkinghorne (a former physicist and current Anglican priest) is an interesting book insomuch as the relationship between religion and quantum physics made mention to in "What the Bleep do we Know?" has hooked my mind into a positive environment so that I have come to want to see things in a different way from that which I have lived the past 43 years of my life.
The writing is neither particularly compelling (to me), nor by any means an easy read (for me), and I predict this will be one of those little books (only 110pgs the size of a paperback) that take a very long time to read little by little, page by page.
There are definite ways that science develops, and rules that are followed with regards to creating theories, experimentation, developing thoughts, and accepting, or rejecting them in the community. The author also shows that this is very true of theology - that there are definite ways it has developed and rules followed (except for conducting experiments), and is comparing how these two seemingly clashing aspects of looking at the world are in fact more similar than most people surmise.
The interesting thing for me will be to learn how theology also has similar rules and regulations that affect the outcomes we have come to known as the Bible, and how it is seen in the various Christian religions of the day. I have never studied the bible, nor have I ever gone into theology (which is different than bible study altogether), so I admit to having absolutely no knowledge of theology, or the "formal study of religion". Some may understand this through their history with their church, and their studies as they grow, but I think that many who "go to church and study the bible" may not be entirely aware (nor want to be aware), that the actual field of the study of religion, is much more than just reading passages out of the King James Bible, and believing that they are the "word of God", simply because that's what their religious leader tells them. I do understand that the ministers and priests who take up those roles must be just as educated in this field as any physicist or chemist or literature university professor in their specific field, but in truth, I have never bothered to ponder it on a deeper level. Until now.
Polkinghorne makes no mistake in saying that just as in religion (e.g. "God is unknowable"), there are inexplicable things we simply have to accept in science because although they can be proven with repeatable experimentation, they cannot be explained.
I find this aspect very interesting indeed and look forward to slogging my way through this little book, and sharing any new vocabulary I come upon (already several!) as well as concepts, with you.
Yesterday, right at the end of the first chapter, the author was talking about, in science, how all arguments must be verified through experimentation, even if the HOW is not particularly well-understood. He used a quantum physics effect called the EPR Effect (Einstein Podolski Rosen) to illustrate this while then going on to show a theological example as well. This EPR Effect can be verified by all physicists, and every single one accepts it as a truth, even though they are unable to explain it. It is a known effect that is essential in the further understanding of the deeper study of quantum physics.
Since most are more knowledgeable in studies of the Bible, let me share with you the theological example first...
"The Christian God is the crucified God, the One who is not just a compassionate spectator of the suffering of creatures, but a fellow-sharer in the travails of creation. The concept of a suffering God affords theology some help as it wrestles with its most difficult problem, the evil and suffering present in the world."
Although it is understood throughout the theological channels that this concept cannot be explained fully, and must be accepted even though it is only partially-understood, as in "how can God be both an observer AND a participant?", it is still fundamentally accepted and critical to the further studies and beliefs.
All of this is fine and dandy and although I do find it interesting... it's not really something that I would consider blogworthy... for me.
That is until I came to the paragraph which describes the EPR Effect. That is when my world took a monstrous shift to the left, and I paradigmed and sashayed to the right.
Stefnee has commented on how it is amazing and sometimes eerie on how her twins just KNOW what is going on between the two. Jenny has mentioned it. Michelle has mentioned it as well just very recently. Not coming from "twin stock" and not knowing two twins except for Burp and Barf, the girls across the street who used to babysit us, I really haven't had an opportunity to study it. But of course parents, and siblings, and probably psychologists do.
The other day Stefnee and I had a good discussion about this, and about the connection. We were having our usual NewAge Wackhead wonderfully deep discussion on breathing, on "NOWing", on "presencing", on twinning and on the connecting through the Red Thread that I have talked about in the past. At that time she brought up the wonderment of how her twins "just know" and seem to move in total harmony with one another.
Of course that intrigued me because I love those litttle guys like they were my own (they aren't, I swear!), and to actually meet them, see their similarities, and difference for a week and then to discuss them (not like lab rats, thankyouverymuch), is a growing interest in me as my desire to move into a more spiritual realm of study is increasing at a phenomenal rate. Stefnee also expressed her wonderment at looking at her two individual sons who were, at one point in time, one single entity. Please keep this point in mind when you read further.
Here is one of many scientific effects that have been experimentally verified, and subsequent predictions made based upon the existence of this effect without a complete understanding. Now I have gone through the internet and read some of the stuff out there, and my brain hurts. I don't plan on reading more on the mathematics of this effect, because it really doesn't interest me on that level. I also saw some papers talking about how the effect was explained and so forth. I like how science always progresses. Nothing is ever really wrong in physics, but it just changes because our perceptions, our growth and understanding of the models change.
"The EPR Effect is a counterintuitive togetherness-in-separation that implies that two quantum entities that have interacted with each other remain mutually entangled, however far they may subsequently separate in space. Effectively, they remain a single system, for acting on the one "here" will produce an immediate effect on its distant partner."
The quote with which I led into my discussion was made by the Nobel Physics Laureate Dr. Richard Feynman (late) who was trying to explain to his students at a lecture the incomprehensible concept that, according to quantum physics, electrons are in a continual state of existing "here", and "there" at the very same time. And in our world of definites, it would seem absolutely impossible to be sitting here in my house writing this, while eating oreo cookie flurries with Stefnee and Scooter at the McDonald's in Stefnee, Kansas at the same time. But, apparently, according to quantum mechanics, it is possible; as long as you don't consider it and try to catch me both here and there. In that case, I will only be either here, or there when you decide to measure it. Electrons can always be measured quantifiably (that means they must be "here" when we are measuring them otherwise we wouldn't see them), which brings up the question, "what happens if we are measuring when they are 'there', and not 'here' at the time of the experiment?" Scientists have to live with this brain imploding concept it seems.... "God is Unknowable"
A question above and beyond the concept of physical twins arises in my drive to study more of the spiritual realms... if there are physical twins, can there be spiritual ones? And could this perhaps be a possible "scientific understanding" of the mysterious NewAge Wackhead Mumbo Jumbo Spiritual concept that people have when they talk about past, present, future lives, or lives intertwined with one another throughout the ages? A sort of ... twinning of souls?
I love you.
Cam
* R. Feynman, 'The Feynman Lectures on Physics', vol. 3, Addison-Wesley, 1965, p.7
Other quotes upon request.
