Replies

Atoms are not conscious. The point is that consciousness is not necessary for an observation; it's an "information" thing, not a "knowledge" thing. If I shine a bright enough light at electrons passing through a two-slit diffraction plate, the electron diffraction pattern is destroyed whether or not I have the equipment to determine which slit each electron passes through. It's the electron-photon interaction that collapses the wavefunctions, not the human mind. Any interaction that transfers information from the wavefunction will do.

The point is that consciousness is not necessary for an observation; it's an "information" thing, not a "knowledge" thing.

Thanks for the info, Physicist. I understand how it applies to particle behavior. But I don't think we're speaking of the same thing. If were to push your logic, I would have to ask: Are you saying that science could simply dispense with scientists? I had thought the reason that scientists bother to design experiments is to be able to observe their results.

Atoms are not conscious. The point is that consciousness is not necessary for an observation; it's an "information" thing, not a "knowledge" thing.

:) Yes and no. I will never forget, when I was but a wee little thing studying math at Harvard, when Howard Georgi showed up at the Freshman Union to discuss physics with the physics frosh over dinner. There was this very annoying (read, unlearned) Christian who kept disturbing Prof. Georgi with religious questions. After repeated polite suggestions that this was not a religious discussion were declined by the heckler, Prof. Georgi finally gave in. He said something like this: "Look, I'm a card-carrying Baptist. I believe God created the universe and for all I know [mind you, this is one of the world's best particle physicists] particles may well have karma. But there's nothing I can say about it as a physicist. There's no 'Physics of Religion' course anyone on this campus can teach. And I'm sure there are more learned Baptists than me. So if you want a discussion with a learned physicist, I'm your guy. But if you want to discuss religion, I respectfully suggest you leave."

I remember the little speech quite well. He said it in a very chipper voice. I distinctly recall his sincere reference to the possibility that particles might have karma, followed up with his suggestion that there were probably smarter Baptists about. LOL -- I doubt the "best" of Baptists would use the word "karma," but Prof. Georgi's a pretty good Baptist, I do suspect.

So it's not that particles -- or atoms -- don't have consciousness. It's that, as a scientist, there's nothing to say about it.

La la la -- just causing trouble. I totally approve of your Holy War against unlearned idiots here who mask their stupidity in the Holy Bible.