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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
 Posted - 04/10/2011 : 04:00:40
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One of my news sources is Channel NewsAsia, a Singapore based pan-Asian, 24-hour news channel that I get through my cable service here in Baguio, Philippines. Generally, the coverage is pretty good, but I noticed they have recently given a great deal of repeated coverage to an osteopath who has "invented" an electronic device and treatment regimen promoted to treat all sorts of ailments. My Quackometer was whooping like a Nazi-era ambulance even before the osteopath made the claim that the device utilized quantum mechanics to perform its supposed healing work.
This post isn't about quackery as such, but about how quantum mechanics (and especially people's ignorance of quantum mechanics) is use as a sort of "anything goes" loophole for New Age and other types to give themselves a "sciency" appearance as they promote all sorts of nonsense. (Thus, "quantum mysticism" provides them "solace" as it confuses those with whom they are trying to miscommunicate.)
Up front, I want to make it clear that I am not a quantum mechanic. (I'm not even an auto mechanic.) Some, or even most of what I may mention on the subject may be wrong. If you run into such misstatements here, please feel free to correct me.
My understanding is that quantum theory deals with the realm of very small particles and fields, while Einsteinan theory deals with the realm of larger universe. Each theory system is very accurate at making correct predictions within its "realm." Naturally, having separate theories for dealing with the "microverse" on one hand, and with the "macroverse" on the other hand is not viewed by physicists as being an ideal situation. That, I believe, is the main reason that theoretical physicists are, and have long been, looking for a "Unified Field Theory."
Much about quantum mechanics seems counter-intuitive, creepy, or even illogical at first, second, or third glance. Einstein -- one of quantum mechanic's founders -- was also "esthetically" resistant to the field, making such objections as "God does not play dice with the universe" when commenting upon the loss of determinism in quantum measurements, and to the idea of "spooky action at a distance" that he felt was implied by quantum entanglement.
Some quantum physicists themselves are guilty of beginning and promoting "quantum mysticism." The average poor layman can hardly be blamed for being confused and mislead when woosters use talk of quantum effects when to promote their quackery, mysticism, and general nonsense.
This is an interactive forum, and this specifically is an intentionally interactive thread. I really would like to hear ideas for a skeptical approach to countering quantum mysticism. I, personally, have no clue.
What are your ideas?
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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On fire for Christ
SFN Regular
Norway
1273 Posts |
Posted - 04/10/2011 : 06:05:24 [Permalink]
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| If someone invokes Quantum mechanics, pretend to be an expert and ask them to go into detail. |
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
Posted - 04/10/2011 : 09:18:43 [Permalink]
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In the early decades of the 20th century, "electric" quackery was all the rage. I predict that in 50-100 years, the fashion will be "string" or "brane" quackery.
OFFC has a good idea, here. Most of the people who express quantum-mystical ideas aren't going to be physicists, they'll just be regular folks who are going to fall back on arguments from authority or popularity if they actually try to defend this stuff.
The physicists who expressed these ideas, on the other hand, seem to all be mistaking the map for the terrain. The mathematics of quantum mechanics is a model - a map - and not reality. Those mathematics might describe Schrödinger's Cat as being both alive and dead simultaneously (for example), but any actual cat could never be both at once. The various "interpretations" of QM ("Copenhagen," "Many-Worlds," etc.) are nothing more than attempts to reflect the maps back onto the terrain, but the reason that multiple interpretations still exist and are argued over despite 80-plus years of scientific progress is that they're largely untestable (we could never devise a test that would show a real cat being both alive and dead since the mere act of observation shifts the cat into one of the two normal states, according to the math).
So a good reply to the high-level quantum mysticists might be, "is this phenomenon something that's only suggested by the math, or has it been experimentally verified?" If there's no experimental support, then the phenomenon can be rejected as a matter of philosophy (interpretation) and not reality. |
- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too. |
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Solace of Quantum [Mysticism]
