Quote from Falvlun: Do you know of a very beginner-friendly website about this that I could check out? I'm interested in learning more.
Not really . . . the stuff I read is jargon-filled and mathematically rigorous. I would attempt to provide an analogized or simplified explanation . . . but my track record here on this forum suggests it is unlikely to be very effective (or well-received). Let me think about it.
I shall endeavor to provide an introductory level explanation of what is a very complex area of science (and philosophy) . . . so nit-pickers hold your tongues. If I have gone too basic . . do not take offense. I am not trying to insult anyone's intelligence. I have no idea what level to start from.
The most revolutionary aspect of quantum mechanics has been variously ignored or vigorously denied depending on the author's particular preference ---- the fact that the existence of "particles" is no longer supportable. DeBroglie attributed a vibratory nature to matter and Planck assigned a corpuscular character to radiation. If both Einstein's and Planck's equations are valid, and they have been found so in virtually every physical arena, then E=h*frequency and E=M*C-Squared mean that M*C-Squared =h*frequency.
Unfortunately, our current mathematics fails to accurately represent the hypothesized wave interference derivations of "particle" creation because an expanding "beat" seems unavoidable in Schroedinger's wave function. This anomaly in the mathematical representation is used to justify retaining a "particle" orientation. It is my belief that we will need a breakthrough in mathematics as profound as the calculus was to resolve these two different ways of representing reality mathematically.When we try to combine elements of different mathematically "measurable" ways of expressing an identity, we find that we can only get one result or the other (indeterminism) when we measure them, not both simultaneously. Because position is not something entirely different from momentum, except for the "time component," our inability to measure both does NOT mean that an objective reality is therefore non-existent and is only a subjective, observer-dependent ("measured") reality! Identity errors are not easy to detect when we are manipulating complex quantum wave functions, performing matrix mechanistic resolutions, or manipulating multidimensional (parallel) mathematical universes.
Wave functions have two parts, a real part and an imaginary part. Imaginary numbers, i (or the square root of -1) are consistent with our mathematical view of reality, but not with the true structure of reality. The concept of negativity is a useful fabrication in our models, but troublesome as a description of our existence, since there is no rewind button for life. Fortunately for us, reality is unidirectional. It is always becoming, never unbecoming!
The resolution of a wave function that occurs upon measurement, (collapsing the wave function from a wave of all possibilities to a single fact) requires multiplication by its complex conjugate (essentially this removes the unrealistic imaginary part, i). In and of itself, multiplying two separate entities together to obtain a single result is not unusual. But because our abstract understanding of the actual phenomenon being modeled (and any "identities" therein) is flawed and incomplete, the philosophical implications of the results can be misleading.
Essentially, quantum theory has eliminated the idea that electrons revolving around the nucleus were in specified orbits that were not subject to the rules of general electromagnetic theory. It also asserts that "particles" (quanta) of matter are endowed, like light, with wavelike properties. (The theory is considerably more complex than this . . . but this should be a start.
Actually, the only thing that exists in our universe is energy. It is merely stratified into differing "states." The separation of these states is determined by the relation of their composite vibratory "speeds" to each other. Matter, or mass, can be thought of as energy "decelerated" from the square of the speed of light, eg., M= E/C-Squared or h*frequency/C-Squared. Conversely, energy is matter "accelerated" to the square of the speed of light. This is Einstein's famous equation in words. To understand the philosophical significance of energy, we must change our basic notion of speed (and acceleration/deceleration) as a characteristic of getting somewhere.
Speed illustrates relativity and will be useful in simplifying the concept if you do not take it too literally and use your imagination. You can visualize the relativistic nature of matter and energy by imagining the passing of a tremendously fast automobile close to you on the highway. If you are stationary, the car as it passes will be an invisible blur, in essence, pure motive energy. Now picture yourself on the same highway in another car travelling at an identical speed. The other car will now be a solid object to your eyes, not a blur of energy.
All matter is in continuous vibratory molecular motion (like a traffic jam). The overall speed of this molecular motion (density of the jam) determines the state we view it in. All our visible matter is that which is traveling at relatively the same range of molecular speed that our bodies are. This is the normal range of molecular activity as it contains those energy states that we can sense as solids or composite entities. This is a limitation of our bodily senses. Our senses are limited by the speed of the molecular activity that comprises their very existence.
We are not equipped to sense as a composite any substance that exists at the square of the speed of light. When the speed of molecular activity reaches the square of the speed of light, it becomes pure energy to us because it exceeds the normal range. Essentially, those things with molecular activity at similar speeds to ours are the living forms of substance, both animate and inanimate. Animate life forms are the ones whose molecular speed is identical to ours. Inanimate life forms are slower, but still living. The things whose molecular speeds are so slow relative to ours that they appear immobile are the lifeless (inorganic) forms. (No nitpicking allowed)
The forms of substance with molecular speeds faster than ours appear less and less solid, from the fluid and gaseous states to the speed range designated as energy. As long as the molecular speed of our body and senses remains fixed, we can never see the fastest substance as anything but a blur of energy. In other words . . . solid matter and energy are NOT different phenomena. They are IDENTICAL, which is a primary source of confusion in our mathematical depictions. The only difference is their relative range of speed on either side of our molecular speed. The harder a substance is to our senses, the slower is its molecular speed in relation to ours. The less solid a substance is to our senses, the faster its molecular speed is to ours. Energy is the term we use to describe substance in the speed range that we can no longer sense as a whole in this timespace. This does not mean it is any less "substantial."
There may be difficulty reconciling this view of energy because we usually as a power source that should be used to accomplish something. In fact, ever since we acquired the ability to create fire, the results associated with this phenomenon have been considered destructive and wasteful, unless the energy was used in some way. The normal opinion is that any substance that is burned is destroyed, when in actuality the process of burning is merely the chemical acceleration of energy from its current "slow" form to several alternate "faster" forms of energy, especially light and heat (infra-red radiation).
The easiest result of this "acceleration" to comprehend is the ash that remains after a solid has been burned. It is quite obviously less dense (less of a traffic jam) than the original substance, indicating faster molecular "speed." Therefore, it should be a simple matter to accept the fact that the original substance was merely speeded up to less dense form. So too, it is not difficult to accept that the various gases and vapors are even faster (even less dense) forms of the original substance.
Light and heat, on the other hand, cause many to struggle unsuccessfully with the abstraction that they are simply faster forms of the original substance, because they do not consider them substance at all. Similarly, while we experience consciousness as a "substantive state," (our Self) we do not consider it "substance" either. However, our consciousness is both substantive and "substance," since it provides the field within which our perceptions (observations and measurements) of our experienced reality exist. Without it, we would not experience anything.
Existential permanence is in the reiteration of events through time, not the existence of particles through time. Unfortunately, the persistence of "particle" imagery has masked the essential significance of quantum mechanics to our understanding of reality.
