Center for quantum philosophy
Discovering invisible principles behind the visible world
Free will is first in the logical order and a prerequisite of science.
Assumed free will, nonlocality experiments first proposed by John Bell demonstrate (within the limits of a few rather eccentric loopholes) nonlocal correlations between space-like separated events, which cannot be explained by means of relativistic influences bounded by the velocity of light. This means that one has to give up the view that the outcomes at each part of the setup result from properties preexisting in the particles before measurement: outcomes in Alice’s (respectively Bob’s) lab cannot be explained by the properties the photon carries when leaving the source and the settings of Alice’s (respectively Bob’s) measuring devices.
The before-before or Suarez-Scarani experiment demonstrates that these nonlocal correlations cannot be explained in terms of “before” and “after”, by time-ordered nonlocal influences. Giving up the concept of locality is not sufficient to be consistent with quantum experiments, one has to give up nonlocal determinism, i.e. the view that one event occurring before in time can be considered the cause, and the other occurring later in time the effect. The time-notion makes sense only in the domain of the relativistic local phenomena. The nonlocal correlations cannot be explained by any history in spacetime, they come from outside spacetime. This experimental result upholds the Copenhagen or orthodox interpretation of Quantum Mechanics.
The single-photon space-like antibunching experiment (proposed 2010 and completed 2012) demonstrates that the most fundamental principle ruling the material world, the conservation of energy, requires nonlocal coordination of detection outcomes, i.e., non-material agency from outside space-time. Additionally, the experiment is a natural and most direct demonstration of nonlocality in a context where the violation of Bell inequalities cannot be used as a criterion for establishing nonlocality. In this sense, the experiment highlights the fact that the principle of nonlocality rules the whole of quantum physics and the material world emerges from non-material features.
The single-photon space-like Michelson-Morley experiment (proposed 2014) combines the “Single-photon space-like antibunching” experiment (2012) and the original “Michelson-Morley” one (1887). The experiment demonstrates that Quantum Physics and Relativity imply each other; you can’t have one without the other. Additionally it allows us to explain how to unify quantum and relativistic correlations, and quantize the spacetime.
Through these and many other experiments in the past years we have reached a better understanding of what nolocality means: “that quantum correlations happen without the flow of time”, “that quantum correlations come from outside spacetime”, “that spacetime does not contain the whole of physical reality”, “that quantum phenomena cannot be explained exclusively by material principles”. And we understand better the relationship between quantum physics and relativity: “spacetime is quantized or granular”, “even relativistic correlations have to be considered as coming from outside spacetime”. It is not necessary to have the psi ability of “precognition” to see that results proving that “quantum phenomena come from outside spacetime”, “conservation of energy requires non-material agency”, and “spacetime itself comes from outside spacetime” define a new era in science. In fact, they support the view that non-material principles can steer the material world.
The Center for Quantum Philosophy, based in Zurich and Geneva, aims at wide-spreading these discoveries, and to stimulate the discussion about their cultural and philosophical implications. In particular, the view that the visible world is governed by invisible, non-material principles can prove useful in tackling anthropological issues like “human free-will and consciousness”, “personal identity”, “definition of death”, “beginning of the human being”, “origin of humanity”.
Andreas Albrecht ponders a study of the physicists who grapple with the origins of the Universe. Dr. Suarez appears as one of the expert interwieved. A cosmos in the lab
contributions:
Antoine Suarez, Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies, Zürich.
Video recording of the Online-meeting: “The Scientism: Can science explain everyting?”
Discussion-Club Aukštakalnis, Kaunas (Lithuania), December 4th, 2020.
Presentations at IIS2020 on: “Science and the Quest for Truth”
Clarendon Laboratory Parks Road, University of Oxford, January 2nd, 2020.
Andrew Steane, Department of Physics, University of Oxford.
Mark Fox, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield.
- 2020: Defining what is science
Antoine Suarez, Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies, Zürich.
Paul Shrimpton, Grandpont House and Magdalen College School, Oxford.
Alfred Driessen, Emeritus University of Twente, Amsterdam.
- 2020: Concluding remarks
Ilyas Khan, Inaugural Chairman of the Stephen Hawking Foundation and CEO of Cambridge Quantum Computing.
Other Presentations:
Alfred Driessen, Slideshare.
Conclusions from this study: There are causes beyond the realm of science, – they are not observable by physical or scientific means – the effects of these causes, however, are observable by physical and scientific means. Physics is not complete.
Alfred Driessen, Slideshare.
In several places of his Physica Aristotle analyzes the famous antimony of Zeno about the competition between Achilles and the Tortoise. He emphasizes that any movement, or more general any change, is actually a continuum, i.e. an unity. It depends on the specific movement or change whether this continuum is potentially divisible in parts. In fact, there could be certain minima of the division. In line with this approach, Quantum Mechanics states that there are minima or quanta of movement (or change), with other words, there are no gradual changes in the world of micro- and nano-structures. This behavior is completely unexpected when starting with the mechanistic approach of classical physics. Taking another finding of Aristotle, the four aspects of causality including final cause, one gets another ingredient of Quantum Mechanics. Movements and changes are not only influenced by the initial state -describing the present situation- but also by the final state which takes account of the future situation. As an example one may mention Fermi’s golden rule, where the initial and final state symmetrically determine the transition probability. Bringing these two philosophical concepts of Aristotle together namely quanta of movement and final cause, a new light is shed on fundamental issues in Quantum Mechanics. One may mention the experimental evidence for contextuality, which is considered one of the weird phenomena in Quantum Mechanics. As illustration, some of the examples of experiments with optical microresonators are given.
Antoine Suarez, Slideshare.
“Future Contingents” and “The Multiverse” – Combining Two Perspectives.
Mark Fox, Slideshare.
A brief overview of the current status of experimental quantum computers.
Alfred Driessen, Acta Philosophica. Vol. 24 (2015) fasc. 1
The rapidly increasing interest in the quantum properties of living matter stimulates a discussion of the fundamental properties of life as well as quantum mechanics. In this discussion often concepts are used that originate in philosophy and ask for a philosophical analysis. In the present work the classic philosophical tradition based on Aristotle and Aquinas is employed which surprisingly is able to shed light on important aspects. Especially one could mention the high degree of unity in living objects and the occurrence of thorough qualitative changes. The latter are outside the scope of classical physics where changes are restricted to geometrical rearrangement of microscopic particles. A challenging approach is used in the philosophical analysis as the empirical evidence is not taken from everyday life but from 20th century science (quantum mechanics) and recent results in the field of quantum biology. In the discussion it is argued that quantum entanglement is possibly related to the occurrence of life. Finally it is recommended that scientists and philosophers should be open for dialogue that could enrich both. Scientists could redirect their investigation, as paradigm shifts like the one originating from philosophical evaluation of quantum mechanics give new insight about the relation between the whole en the parts. Whereas philosophers could use scientific results as a consistency check for their philosophical framework for understanding reality.