DeMystifying the Schizophrenic Photon

Presents a description of the nature of the photon that offers a solution to the wave-particle / dualist dilemma.

The conundrum is best demonstrated in labs with experiments with lasers and slits, and the puzzling interference pattern that is produced. This phenomenon is probably best popularized in the movie, What the Bleep do we Know?.

Just as electrons in atoms exhibit a type of quantum behavior, I contend that when photons are launched through slits, they exhibit a similar type of quantum behavior. And its this behavior at the slit that produces the resulting interference pattern; however with no reliance on the mind-numbing notion that an individual photon can somehow interfere with itself.

For details about my book, Evolving Towards the Truth, please visit www.jeffkosmoski.com

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• photon
• electron
• dualism
• dualistic
• wave
• particle
• duality
• slit
• young
• interference
• pattern
• bleep
• energy
• light
• quantum
• voodoo

[todd987]

Jeff, can you explain why human beings didn't evolve with other mammals and why we are watching animals across the planet catch up? It just doesn't add up to me. I've been reading Sumerian txt and I have to tell you keeps going back to an intelligent life coming down to Earth. I just want your general opinion.

[jeffkosmo]

@todd987 Not sure what you mean when you say humans didn't evolve with other creatures, nor what you mean by "catching up".

I sense you're anthropo-centric; implying that homo sapiens is the apex of "evolutionary progress".

To my mind, there is no apex, no "goal" of natural evolution. Genomes evolve to adapt to the pressures of changing environments and insufficient resources. These pressures may then favor individuals that are faster, bigger, greener, or in our case, smarter.

[TheEnjima]

But honestly, what the bleep do I know!! As much or as little as anyone else, depending on how u want to look at it, which seems to be an inherent and fundamental aspect of fundamental reality. Weird no

[jeffkosmo]

@TheEnjima

Reply #1:

You certainly take first place in terms of length of comments! Wow.

To be honest, I don't really have the bandwidth right now to address all of your great questions and speculations. However, let me say this:

As I address in my recent book, "Evolving Towards the Truth", I contend the main difficulty with our ability to understand photons is epistemological. More specifically, it's due to the way our primate brains evolved; (cont'd in reply #2)

[jeffkosmo]

@TheEnjima

Reply #2, cont'd

Our brains and bodies evolved in a physical environment, consisting of sticks, stones, branches, trees, coconuts and other living physical beings.

Consequently, we tend to understand best things and processes with which we can physically empathize. E.g., billiard balls and particle physics. If we had our preference, we'd like the entire universe to consist of these types of things. However, the universe doesn't seem to care for our preferences.

(Cont'd in #3)

[jeffkosmo]

@TheEnjima

Reply #3.

Ergo, when we encounter a phenom that doesn't neatly conform to the way physical things behave, we kind of freak out, break out the voodoo, or throw a shirtload of mind-numbing mathemagics at it.

It's only "spooky" because we can't empathize with it; i.e., photons don't behave like nanoscopic BBs.

Hope this makes sense.

Thanks for your comments.

[qcon81]

Does your ontology of the wavefunction come from Bohm's wholeness and the implicate order??

[108vasudeva]

The ultimate cosmic question, which is being addressed at CERN, is what is the basis of matter/energy itself. The answer can't be MORE matter/energy so it inevitably enters the realm of the non-physical. A non-physical organizing impulse, that is the BASIS of movement, energy, and matter. The Higg's Boson is the current candidate in physics. But an organizing non-physical impulse that gives rise to forces and forms and determines the laws of their functioning is what defines intelligence itself!

[skatechildd]

your one of the smart dumbasses

[skaterraiter]

I think the whole universe should follow me on twitter and real life jayson509click youl see :)

[JayDizzzL]

I wish this theory worked, but it doesn't. Why? When you shoot photons 1 at a time thru 2 slits, the backdrop shows spots where no photons hit- ever. However, if you cover up either of the holes and repeat the experiment, some photons will hit these spots; there is no interference pattern. W/ ur geometric view, the photon, which goes thru one of the 2 slits, should bounce in some funny way and hit the spots just as it did when it went thru the single slit. It doesn't. Still gotta learn Quantum!

[delbertlarson]

Two things off the top of my head. One, there is I would guess a certain level of gravity between photons that help keep them together. This could explain part of what you are saying about the movement within the beam. Second, it seems like everyone ignores what happens to the particles bouncing off the endges of the slit. They have to have an affect on the beam as a whole. LIke an accident on the freeway causes a disturbance.