An alternative quantum realty

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How should we define reality? 

This question is especially relevant for the scientists who struggle on a daily basis to help us understand the "inner" reality of our universe.

Some define it based on a quantitative mathematical analysis of observations.

For example, Quantum mechanics defines the "reality" or state of a quantum system in terms of the mathematical probability of finding it in a particular configuration when an observation is made.  Therefore, it does not tell us anything about the state of a system before an observation was made because it defines that probability in terms of an infinite number of possible states.
Hence, it does not tell us anything about the state or "reality" of that system before an observation takes place because it assumes every possible or infinite number of quantum state or "realities" must exist for each quantum system before an observation is made. 

This may be why Niels Bohr, the farther of Quantum Mechanics said that

"If quantum mechanics hasn’t profoundly shocked you, you haven’t understood it yet."

However, others define reality in terms of cause and effect.

For example, Isaac Newton derived the laws of gravity by developing a causal relationship between the movement of planets and the distance between them.  He then derived a mathematical equation, defining a "reality" which could predict their future movements based on observations of their earlier movements.

Both the wave function of quantum mechanics and Newton’s gravitational laws are valid definitions of reality because they allow scientists to predict future events with considerable accuracy.

However, this does not mean that they accurately define the causality of those realities.

For example, at the time of their discovery Newton’s gravitational laws allowed scientists to make extremely accurate predictions of planetary movements based on their previous movements, but they did not define the causality of the forces responsible for those laws.

However, Einstein, in his General Theory of Relativity, showed there was room for an "alternative reality" that could define the causality of Newton’s gravitational laws in terms of a physical curvature in space-time which did not conflict with the "reality" of Newton’s gravitational laws for velocities that were small compared to the velocity of light.

Yet this shows, just as there was room for an alternative "reality" which could define the causality of in Newton’s laws there could be an alternative “reality” that defines the causality of the predictive powers of quantum theories.  This is possible even though as was pointed out in the NewScientist article, "Not so Spooky" Nov 3 2007 "experiments show quantum mechanics to be the most accurate physics theory in history.  Not only does quantum theory make all the right predictions, many physicists feel that modern experiments, combined with quantum theory’s mathematics, leave no room for alternatives."

As mentioned earlier a quantum mechanical theories only defines the probability that a quantum system will be in a certain state after it is observed however, this does not necessarily mean, as it proponents do that one must assume that an infinite number of quantum states or realties existed before an observation is made.

It was shown in "Why is energy/mass quantized?" Oct 4, 2007 that one can define the "reality" of those probabilities in terms of a resonant system formed by a matter wave (corresponding to the quantum mechanical wave function) in four *spatial* dimensions.

The probability of an event occurring, like someone winning a lottery is calculated in part by the number of lottery tickets printed, how many winning tickets there are in that printing and how many tickets a person buys.  This means the causality of the probability of a person winning a lottery is based on the "reality" or physical existence of certain number of tickets and the how many were bought by that person. 

Similar to the probability that some will win a lottery, the probability of a particular event occurring in a quantum system may not be related to existence of an infinite number of quantum state or "realities" as is suggested by quantum mechanical theories but to a physical existence of some finite component or resonant property of space defined in the article "Why is energy/mass quantized?" and number of events that can occur in that space.

Therefore, just as Einstein defined an alternative reality for Newton’s gravitational laws there may be an alternative reality for the causality of quantum probabilities.

Later Jeff

Copyright 2007 Jeffrey O’Callaghan

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