Topic started by Star (@ dial0-235.dialin.uic.edu) on Thu Jan 8 19:05:32 EST 2004.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.
Quantum Mechanics, Particle Physics, Advaita Vedanta and
The Nature of the Physical Reality
Physics Background
Quantum mechanics postulates that any observation of a system in itself affects the outcome. This is easy to understand if you consider an electron and try to measure its position, say using a microscope (cannot be done in reality; just for argument sake). An optical microscope uses the light from surroundings or uses its own source to 'see' the electron and inadvertently disturbs the electron. This is the simplest explanation of the Heisenberg's uncertainty principle. You cannot measure the position and the momentum (velocity) of a given particle with unlimited precision. The product of the uncertainties is greater than or equal to a constant called Planck’s constant. What this means is as you go to smaller sizes the wave nature of the particle takes over. (Position uncertainty > momentum uncertainty ---> wave nature dominant). The particle location is kind of smeared out in space. This is an experimentally verified fact.
In fact the theory goes further and advocates that a system's (can be a electron or even something complex like an elephant) state can be completely described by a wave function. (For example, a mathematical function like Ø (x)= A*sin (x), the Greek 'Ø' (psi) is the usual symbol for the w.f). In practice it is obtained by solving the famous Schrodinger's equation. This has been done for hydrogen atom and few other simple systems, which is hard enough. The wave function in general is a mathematical superposition of different eigenstates or eigenfunctions. Another postulate says that the as soon you make a measurement the wave function collapses and falls into one of the eigenstates associated with a particular eigenvalue which is the physically measured observable.
Operator acting on ---> Wave function----> Eigenstate with particular eigenvalue.
The theory says that you do not know exactly what eigenvalue you will get beforehand. All you can say is how much probability each eigenvalue has which usually is not very useful. As an example, consider tossing of a coin. The two sides are the different eigenstates and the outcomes, H or T are the eigenvalues. All you can say before tossing is each has 50% chance. So the wave function for the system is
Ø = A* ÖH + B*ÖT and it is said that A2=B2=0.5.
For some reason (mathematical), the coefficients A and B have to be squared to get actual probabilities. But QM has been to applied with much success elsewhere. In fact it is the most successful and comprehensive theory to date in physics (never been disproved) but nobody knows how or why it works.
Now turning to particle physics, where the general consensus is that matter is made of quarks and leptons (six types each as of I know) and is held by four fundamental forces. This is famous standard model [1] and there is lot of debate in this field too. The questions remain - Is there any sub-structure and why only six and how to include the gravitational force in it?
The interplay between Quantum Mechanics, Electrodynamics and Particle Physics has given rise to a field called 'Quantum Electrodynamics'. (The reason I did not take it - too many equations with strange symbols, needs real genius to get an insight!!)
Metaphysics and the unanswered questions
The reason why the following verse,
“ekaM sad vipraa bahudha vadantya”
"The TRUTH is one, the wise perceive and speak of IT in different ways"
- Rig Veda (1.164.46)
haunts me is because Advaita or non-duality advocates that the Reality or Truth is one homogeneous substance and all variety in universe is a product of illusion or Maya [2]. Here is where I see an interesting parallel between Advaita and particle physics. Will the search for the most fundamental particle lead to the fact that maybe it is the Truth that is fundamental? (things become fuzzy here, I really don't know how this works).
From the view of a Quantum mechanic, is the Truth some kind of super-wave function when attempted to sense either mentally or physically results in individual forms (eigenstates) with individual characters (eigenvalues)? Is all of universe a superposition of different eigenfunctions? Is it the human mind or the Supreme Being or Brahman, the equivalent of the proverbial operator of Quantum Mechanics, which actually influences the outcome? What is this force that actually creates the differentiation? Vedanta says it is the Brahman itself, which is responsible for all this. I have to mull on this subject for some more, probably all my lifetime. Perhaps it is with this perspective that William Blake wrote these lines ...
"To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And Heaven in a Wild Flower
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour"
- from Auguries of Innocence
Prakash Mani
References:
1. http://particleadventure.org/particleadventure/other/proj_sum.html
2.http://www.gosai.com/chaitanya/saranagati/html/vishnu_mjs/physics_metaphysics/physics_metaphysics_2.html
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