Denis Dutton: A Darwinian theory of beauty

Quantum Coolness (w/out Woo Woo)

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Quantum mechanics…long the subject matter of both legitimate science and quasi-mystical crank theory, has recently seen a new and interesting development–two of its principle features, the Uncertainty Principle and nonlocal “spooky-action-at-a-distance” through Entanglement have now been linked (Click Me Here) as integral and essential to each other.

Quantum physics is solid science, well-accepted by mainstream researchers and is strongly upheld by literally millions of experiments to date.

It’s the theory behind all electronic technology.

In a new article published in the journal Science (Click Me Here, Too), uncertainty limits the quantum weirdness of nonlocality, and explains why quantum entanglement is no weirder than it is.

Sorry, Psychics-R-Us need not apply. No X-Men to be found here.

Seriously though, all mean-spirited, poopy-head ridicule aside, this is a neat development, and if it pans out with further research, could very well get us one step closer to the formulation of a theory of quantum gravity. This is a major step in our conception of quantum theory, which adds tremendously to our knowledge and the implications of its use.

Related Articles

• Quantum uncertainty controls ‘action at a distance’ (newscientist.com)
• Universe’s Quantum Weirdness Limits Its Weirdness (wired.com)
• Researchers uncover surprise link between weird quantum phenomena (eurekalert.org)
• Surprise link between weird quantum phenomena: Heisenberg uncertainty principle sets limits on Einstein’s ‘spooky action at a distance’ (sciencedaily.com)
• CQT Researcher uncovers surprise link between weird quantum phenomena (yubanet.com)
• Uncertainty Principle sets limits on Einstein’s ‘spooky action at a distance’ (3quarksdaily.com)
• Uncertainty Sets Limits On Quantum Nonlocality (science.slashdot.org)
• Quantum entanglement, meet Heisenberg (arstechnica.com)
• Imabug: Like Fate Of Cat, Quantum Debate Is Still Unresolved – Science News (sciencenews.org)
• Mark Andrew Catton: Quantum world more ordered than thought | COSMOS magazine (markandrewcatton.posterous.com)

Dick Feynman on a Fundamental Freedom

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Even more basic to functioning democracies than specified rights in a national constitution is the freedom from which those rights derive; to question our leaders, whether those of the government, church, a corporation, and any other large establishment.

Needless to say, despots don’t like it, and do what they can to restrict their citizens’ right, and even ability to question what they are told. In dictatorships, analytical thinking is ignored or suppressed, and this of course furthers the aims of the governing body to maintain their control.

More than anything else, the freedom, and the skill of systematic doubt and its ties to politics are a major motivator to many skeptics, and one of the reasons that irrationality is so strongly opposed by the same.

More than the sensationalized examples of the consequences of pseudoscience (and I’ve been guilty of using some of those myself) that have been mentioned before, the ability to think clearly is essential to good decision making, and a necessary means of avoiding erroneous conclusions.

After all, at least one rather infamous dictator has been attributed with saying, “how good it is that the people do not think.”

Thinking is our gift as a species, and we have an obligation not only to ourselves, but to our world and our descendants to use that gift for the benefit of all, no matter what our national affiliation or particular political leanings.

Here, Manhattan Project veteran and pioneer of quantum electrodynamics Dick Feynman discusses his take on this, and why it came about the way it did.

Our freedom to doubt was born out of a struggle against authority in the early days of science. It was a very deep and strong struggle: permit us to question — to doubt — to not be sure. I think that it is important that we do not forget this struggle and thus perhaps lose what we have gained.

Richard Phillips Feynman (May 11, 1918 – February 15, 1988)

Related Articles

• The Feynman Variations – Brian Cox presents a tribute to Richard Feynman – Discovery – BBC – World Service (richarddawkins.net)
• ‘No ordinary genius’ (bbc.co.uk)
• Generating Thoughts, or, the Feynman Family Phrase (jsomers.net)
• Symphony of Science – ‘We Are All Connected’ (ft. Sagan, Feynman, deGrasse Tyson & Bill Nye) (kestalusrealm.wordpress.com)
• Eivind: BBC News – How Richard Feynman went from stirring jelly to a Nobel Prize (bbc.co.uk)
• Richard Feynman: Uncertainty of Knowledge (milkandcookies.com)