(3/10) God and Cosmology I - God's Shadow

Episode 1: Gods Shadow

Here we examine the fundamental basics of quantum mechanics that have been discovered by physicists over the last 100 years, starting from particle nature of the photon to quantum entanglement. Of course, all topics cannot be covered, and those that are covered have a specific purpose both for this episode and future episodes. The primary focus is on the probabilistic nature of matter at its most basic level. Thus, there is a heavy emphasis on Copenhagen school of thought and related experiments. After that, we compare what we have learned in nature to classical descriptions of God (omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence), and see if we can identify these qualities as conceptually possible. The Episode ends by answering the question:

If God exists, how could we possibly learn anything about Him when He is so far beyond our experience that it borders on the incomprehensible?


(3/8) The start of this portion of the episode finishes where we left off in (2/8) by outlining several experiments which have confirmed particle wave duality in photons, electrons, atoms and molecules. We then quickly review the view of the atom within the first half of the 20th century, then move on to the Heisenberg Uncertainty principle. We then begin the main tenets of the Copenhagen interpretation, which includes wavefunctions, probability densities, the uncertainty principle, collapse of the wave function, particle wave duality, and classical approximations of large bodies. Special emphasis is placed on the Bohrian model of electron movement in atoms, and the lack of definite causality in the sub-atomic.

0:01 Experimental evidence of particle/wave duality for both particles and waves.
0:50 An overview of developments in atomic model within early 20th century, including Rutherfords model of the atom, Bohrs modification of the Rutherford model, and Schrödingers wave equations.
1:24 Introduction to Heisenbergs Uncertainty principle. We start with the observation that using high frequency photons yield information about position but not momentum, while low frequency photons yield the opposite. Whats going on here?
2:20 Werner Heisenberg figures it out. The measurement of the state of the electron involves photons which disrupts the path of the electron. Hence, observation through photons actually disrupt the measurement.
4:40 Mathematical description of the Heisenbergs uncertainty principle.
5:09 Collaboration between Bohr and Heisenberg leads to the Copenhagen interpretation.
5:36 The main tenets of the Copenhagen interpretation, including:
5:37 - 1) As per Schrödingers mathematical description of an atom, a system is described by a wavefunction known mathematically by the symbol ψ (psi).
5:46 - A basic non-mathematical explanation for is what a wavefunction (quantum state) is presented.
6:12 2) This mathematical description is inherently probabilistic, where the probability of an event occurring is related to the square of the wavefunction, as formulated by Max Born in 1926.
6:23 The hydrogen wave function as an example of probability density. Special emphasis is placed on the probabilistic description of electron location because of Heisenbergs uncertainty principle AND Bohrs model of the atom.
7:38 Electron behaviour vs. classical behaviour. Bohr rationalizes that the electron does not have a definable location or momentum, and that its behaviour such as that of travelling from one side of the atom to the other is completely foreign to what we perceive in our Newtonian lives.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Louid
• de
• Broglie
• Particle
• Wave
• Duality
• Photons
• Electrons
• Atoms
• Molecules
• Atomic
• Model
• Rutherford
• Bohr
• Schrodinger
• wave
• equation
• Heisenberg
• Uncertainty
• Principle
• High
• Low
• energy
• electrons
• matter
• position
• momentum
• wavelength
• frequency
• Copenhagen
• Interpretation
• quantum
• state
• wavefunction
• observation
• measurement
• Determinism
• probability
• psi
• classical
• physics

[regelemihai]

Does the Copenhagen Interpretation deals more with the thory of multiple universes??

[UNFFwildcard]

I don't believe it does, although I don't believe multiple universes and Copenhagen interpretation are mutually exclusive.

[Truth0is0beauty]

If we are to presume that God exists, quantum mechanics are not able to remove his responsibility for suffering.

One response to indeterminacy arising from quantum probablities is the many worlds interpretation, effectively claiming that every event with a probability higher than zero occurs. This would mean that god is responsible for a near infinite ammount of suffering.

There may well be a way around this that I've not found, if so please let me know :-)

[UNFFwildcard]

If would assume if one could reconcile suffering in one universe, then one could reconcile suffering in an infinite number of them.

[Teirusu155]

Well done! I NEVER thought I'd watch Super Mario Bros. in a physics-related video... I was a bit confused at first due to the fact that I was watching a Mario video earlier XD

[UNFFwildcard]

Yeah, I had to throw that in for a cheap laugh. It's true though. The original game has so many bugs that doing the same thing doesn't always yield the same results.

[alaudun2]

This one sounds better especially when you connect epistemology and ontology to your project. From them a cosomolgy can be developed. In your case it is related only in the strict scientific sense which is also allowable.

[Titaniumgoblin]

why would these videos have so many dislikes? they are really helpful !!!

[fntime]

@Truth0is0beauty Of course you think that this is a clever argument,but

actually it's kind silly.Obviously you intend to prove that 'God'

doesn't exist.Your lack of knowledge or rather your presumptions

make your premises incorrect.

I'd let you 'know' if you were open minded,but because you are not,

I'd be wasting my time.

You actually have the mindset of a religious fundementalist,

so sure of what you don't either know or understand.

You & fundementalist are reverse of the same 'coin'.

[Master3Sap]

so... what does this have to do with a god

[q7spiz]

Its been said that the same experiments will end up having the same results, but yet they don't. That could be labeled as insane unless your always doing experiments with proven knowledge of how it might go differently. Different results happening from the same thing would be the same thing that happens, thus making the expectation that you will only get the same results from the same experiment, insane because that would be a different result than how in reality you will get different results.

[SamiLuukkanen]

@UNFFwildcard I don't think that the God hypothesis complies with the observed nature of the universe.

[kevinscales]

Are you trying to say that some things are unknowable, in which case god doesn't know everything? Even if god doesn't know everything, this doesn't mean he has no responsibility for suffering, especially since he is supposed to know more than anyone. If he has no responsibility for suffering, then how can yoou cal him god?

[LastDaysPictures]

VERY GOOD! I love this videos! Please share more!

[matatan69]

The video is excellent but you talk too fast and bump the microphone too often, I had to stop watching your video last night becuase the bumping of the microphone was annoying our baby sleeping just by my side.

[posingnudeband]

if we could find a way to admit a living cell into a particle accelerator without destroying it we could measure the effects of light speed on biological material.