Tuesday 11 May 2010

Quantum Weirdness

An article in the current edition of New Scientist (08May2010 - "Weirdest of the weird"), reminded me of the extraordinarily brain stretching concepts involved with quantum physics - Concepts that turn so many of our cherished views on the how and the what of our existence on their heads.  Almost whatever physical law you take, quantum physics runs a steamroller right through it. 

When I was a boy I used to make my brain hurt by trying to imagine infinite space and time.  Now my headache is quantum physics.  Sadly I don't think I have the mental capacity to understand significant parts of the science, no matter how hard I try, but it's immensely satisfying when I find I have finally understood another element.

Another thing that strikes me is how much more utterly amazing and weird this is compared to any concept encompassed by the main World religions, which seem so very mundane by comparison - products of people who fashioned their Gods within the limited constraints of their understanding.  Quantum physics just does not fit into any model which includes God as currently described. It is all together more extraordinary.  That's not to say there is no God.  Maybe we just have not yet discovered or understood the "reality" that this God might be.  The God described by Christians, Muslims and others is just too "human".