Share this on FaceBook

Quantum Koans

A Seminar for the Study of the Paradoxes of Quantum Theory
wavefunction
Fall 2009

Thomas McFarlane

Those who are not shocked when they first come across quantum theory cannot possibly have understood it.
- Niels Bohr
The existing scientific concepts cover always only a very limited part of reality, and the other part that has not yet been understood is infinite. Whenever we proceed from the known into the unknown we may hope to understand, but we may have to learn at the same time a new meaning of the word 'understanding'.
- Werner Heisenberg

Topics

This seminar is intended for lay persons with a serious interest in deepening their understanding of the paradoxes and counter-intuitive features of quantum mechanics. The emphasis will be on how the paradoxes challenge our naive notions of reality and open our minds to new possibilities rather than on presenting, promoting, or adopting any particular view of physical reality. We will explore nonlocality and Bell's theorem, entanglement and decoherence, wave function collapse and the measurement problem, and examine different interpretations of quantum theory. Although no scientific or philosophical background is presupposed, discussions may at times be technical in nature, delving into science, mathematics, and philosophy.

Enrollment

The seminar will meet at Tom's home at 909 Prescott in Springfield from 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm on Thursday evenings from Sept. 24 - Dec. 17, 2009 (except for Oct. 15 and Nov. 26).

The seminar is not a drop-in discussion group. Participants are asked to make a commitment to reading and engaging with the materials we will be studying and to attending regularly. There will be no charge for the seminar. However, participants who are not members of the Center for Sacred Sciences are encouraged to consider making a donation to the Center for Sacred Sciences, which is sponsoring the seminar.

The seminar will be led by Tom McFarlane, author of Einstein and Buddha: The Parallel Sayings. Tom has a degree in physics from Stanford University, and advanced degrees in mathematics and philosophy. Tom is also on the board of directors of the Center for Sacred Sciences.

Syllabus

Following is a tentative weekly schedule of topics and materials for the seminar.

  1. Overview of the seminar; The nature of theories
  2. The tenets of naive realism; science and religion
  3. Introducing quantum theory and the paradoxes
    • Quantum Physics Encounters Consciousness: An Interview with Bruce Rosenblum read the interview
    • Quantum Koans: Experiments that Confound, Perplex, and Bewilder watch the video
  4. Particles, waves, and materialism
  5. Measurement, wave function collapse, and observation
  6. Interpretations
  7. The Einstein-Bohr debates, EPR, and Bell's theorem
  8. The hard problem of consciousness
    • Exploring Actuality through Experiment and Experience by Piet Hut - read the article
    • Untangling the Hard Problem of Consciousness by Todd L. Duncan - read the article
  9. Volition and free will
  10. Summary / Questions and Answers / Discussion

The following books are recommended as supplementary reading prior to, during, and/or after the seminar.

Podcast

You can listen to the weekly meetings via RSS Feed or iTunes podcast (requires iTunes on your computer).

Further Reading

If you would like to investigate these topics in more detail, Prof. of Physics Stanley Sobottka has a detailed and comprehensive website on quantum physics and nonduality, A Course in Consciousness.