The double slit experiment

Link doesn't work.

If you're talking about the light double slit experiment.
It shows that light acts like a wave as well as a particle.

 
yeah i understand that. but observation makes it act only one way.

The idea is that they're both, until observation occurs right?
 
Observing something means interacting with it. In the case of viewing an object visually, we do it by measuring the photons bouncing off it (which our eyes pick up).

On the very small scale having photons bouncing off something can affect that thing in a very noticeable way. In this case, altering its trajectory.

It's nothing to do with consciousness, and everything to do with physics.
 
Read up on particle-wave duality and probably qauntum field theory.

I love that fact that was you don't understand it, you jump to consciousness.
Not that I understand it, but I accept that scientists do understand it more or less and are far better than me, backed up with data.
 
Last edited:
trojan698 said:
yeah i understand that. but observation makes it act only one way.

The idea is that they're both, until observation occurs right?
Click to expand...

No, it's only possible to observe one thing.
There isn't any philosophy involved, it's as simple as that the equipment involved i.e a face or a camera changes the probabilities involved. Which collapses the wave function.
Some philosophy students will make up some bs, but it's just a result of some mathematics.
 
hey look what einstein thought about matter and consciousness

"A human being is a part of this whole, called by us ‘Universe’, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest — a kind of optical delusion of consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to apportion for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty"
 
There's a very good explanation for lay-people in Richard Feynman's book "QED". The good news is, once you understand it, then the rest of Quantum Mechanics is just that with bells on.
 
Right, very quick summary for you (probably wrong as I'm hungover and very tired).

Before observation, the particle, an electron in this case, can exist in several of a number of different states, we don't know which one it is in. To "observe" the electron we need to bounce a photon off of it, and use that to measure the electron. It is the act of bouncing the photon off of the electron that causes it to chance and only exist in one state.

It's nothing to do with consciousness, it's simply due to the fact that to measure it, we have to interfere with the system, which changes it.

(I make no claims that any of that is 100% correct, but it should serve to answer the OP.)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom