By: Abonyi, Hyginus Ebuka
1.0 Introduction
A German
physicist named Max Planck, explained that radiation from a sparkling body
changed its shades from red to orange to blue when the temperature was
increased and it was known as black body radiation; the quantum hypothesis.
Hence, comes quantum mechanics, which completely altered the fundamental
precepts of physics.[1]
Planck’s theory held that radiant energy is made up of particle-like
components, known as “quanta.”[2]
Nonetheless, in
1927, in the field of quantum mechanics, another German physicist, Werner
Heisenberg proposed the Uncertainty Principle. The uncertainty principle is certainly one of the
most famous aspects of quantum mechanics[3]
and it helped to establish the foundations of quantum physics. It has often
been regarded as the most distinctive feature in which quantum mechanics
differs from classical theories of the physical world. Nonetheless, the bone of
contention in this article is the philosophical implication of Quantum Physic
and Uncertainty principle. However, an exposition of quantum physic and
uncertainty principle is first and foremost, exposed.
2.0 Exposition of Quantum Theory
Quantum theory
(otherwise known as quantum physics or quantum mechanics) is one of the two
main Planck’s of modern physics, along with general relativity, and between
them the two theories claim to explain virtually everything about the universe.
General relativity gives us our picture of the very big (space-time and
gravity), while quantum theory gives us our picture of the very small (atoms
and their constituents).
However, Planck
had sought to discover the reason that radiation from a glowing body changes in
color from red, to orange, and, finally, to blue as its temperature rises. He
found that by making the assumption that energy existed in individual units in
the same way that matter does, rather than just as a constant electromagnetic
wave - as had been formerly assumed - and was therefore quantifiable, he could
find the answer to his question.
The existence of
these units became the first assumption of quantum theory. Planck wrote a
mathematical equation involving a figure to represent these individual units of
energy, which he called quanta. The equation explained the phenomenon very
well; Planck found that at certain discrete temperature levels (exact multiples
of a basic minimum value); energy from a glowing body will occupy different
areas of the color spectrum. Planck assumed there was a theory yet to emerge
from the discovery of quanta, but, in fact, their very existence implied a
completely new and fundamental understanding of the laws of nature.
Nonetheless,
Quantum theory is a modern physical theory concerned with the emission and
absorption of energy by matter and with the motion of material particles. Just
as the theory of relativity assumes importance in the special situation where
very large speeds are involved, so the quantum theory is necessary for the
special situation where very small quantities are involved, i.e., on the scale
of molecules, atoms, and elementary
particles. Aspects of the quantum theory have provoked vigorous philosophical
debates concerning, for example, the uncertainty principle and the statistical
nature of all the predictions of the theory.
2.1 Relationship of Energy and Matter
According to the
older theories of classical physics, energy is treated solely as a continuous
phenomenon, while matter is assumed to occupy a very specific region of space
and to move in a continuous manner. According to the quantum theory, energy is
held to be emitted and absorbed in tiny, discrete amounts. An individual bundle
or packet of energy, called a quantum (plural is quanta), thus behaves in some
situations much like particles of matter; particles are found to exhibit
certain wavelike properties when in motion and are no longer viewed as
localized in a given region but rather as spread out to some degree.
2.2 Dual Nature of Waves and Particles
The restriction of the energy levels of the
electrons is explained in terms of the wavelike properties of their motions:
electrons occupy only those orbits for which their associated wave is a
standing wave (i.e., the circumference of the orbit is exactly equal to a whole
number of wavelengths) and thus can have only those energies that correspond to
such orbits. Moreover, the electrons are no longer thought of as being at a
particular point in the orbit but rather as being spread out over the entire
orbit. Just as the results of relativity approximate those of Newtonian physics
when ordinary speeds are involved, the results of the quantum theory agree with
those of classical physics when very large "quantum numbers" are
involved.[4]
3.0 The Uncertainty Principle
Heisenberg’s
uncertainty principle states that it is impossible to measure or calculate
exactly, both the position and the momentum of an object. This principle is
based on the wave-particle duality of matter. Although, Heisenberg’s
uncertainty principle can be ignored in the macroscopic world (the
uncertainties in the position and velocity of objects with relatively large
masses are negligible), it holds significant value in the quantum world. Since
atoms and subatomic particles have very small masses, any increase in the
accuracy of their positions will be accompanied by an increase in the
uncertainty associated with their velocities.
In the field of
quantum mechanics, Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle is a fundamental theory
that explains why it is impossible to measure more than one quantum variable
simultaneously. Another implication of the uncertainty principle is that it is
impossible to accurately measure the energy of a system in some finite amount
of time. Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle states that for particles
exhibiting both particle and wave nature, it will not be possible to accurately
determine both the position and velocity at the same time.[5]
The principle is named after German physicist, Werner Heisenberg who proposed
the uncertainty principle in the year 1927.[6]
A preliminary
and simplistic formulation of the quantum mechanical uncertainty principle for
momentum and position can be found in Heisenberg’s article of 1927, entitled as
Über den anschaulichen Inhalt der
quanten-theoretischen Kinematik und Mechanik as
Im
Augenblick der Ortsbestimmung… verändert das Elektron seinen Impuls unstetig.
Diese Änderung istum so größer, je kleiner die Wellenlänge des benutzten Lichtes, d. h. je genauer die
Ortsbestimmung ist …also je genauer der Ort bestimmt ist, desto ungenauer ist
der Impuls bekannt und umgekehrt”.[7]
Translated into English: “When the position is determined… the electron
undergoes a discontinuous change in momentum. This change is the greater the
smaller the wavelength of the light employed, i.e., the more exact the
determination of the position… thus, the more precisely the position is
determined, the less precisely the momentum is known, and conversely.”
4.0 Philosophical Implications of Quantum Theory
4.1 On Epistemology
The epistemological
question of how we can have knowledge of the properties of an object is
answered in physics by the notion of observables. The notion of an object as
the focus of determinative properties lies at the heart of classical realism
–which is one of the main Western- common sense philosophical positions.[8] It
is encoded in the structure of our language itself: the subject-predicate form
of simple sentences reflects the idea of properties adhering to things, and
plays a crucial role in determining how we understand truth; in particular,
what is meant by true statement.
4.1.1 The Observableness
It is a
measurement for a statement to be claimed as true. It is because the realism
claims that the true statement or knowledge is what is in accordance with the
object under observation. So, Quantum Physics that shows object on atomic level
is in uncertain condition implies that there is no true statement that can be
gained. What seems to be coming under increasing pressure, at least in the
realm of quantum physics (and in cosmology as well) is the further and more
specific claim of correspondence, that the structure of the theoretical
concepts corresponds to some extent with the structure of their references in
nature. Also the claim of convergence, that the sequence of these terms
generated by successive theories stand in increasingly more accurate
correspondence to these structure.
4.2 On Logic
It says that
under Aristotelian logic, the statement is under two classifications: true or
false, no intermediate. But under Quantum Physics with its wave-particle
experience, it gives the intermediate-condition between false-true. It is
because it cannot be said that the statement: the light is particle, is true
and the statement: the light is wave, is false, or each as being true or false.
But both are correct and it implies light is in intermediate condition between
particle and wave. Though some say that it is just because of the limits of our
language to describe a new phenomenon that is not under known classification,
here is particle and wave.
Philosophical Implications of Heisenberg’s
uncertainty principle
a.
Heisenberg
was openly a subjective idealist as a student and fought against the workers in
the revolution of Germany 1919. As a reactionary, bourgeois scientist
advocating subjective idealism, his studies were even self-contradictory.
Commencing from a rejection of science to a studying of the world and that to
concluding illegitimately his idealist presumptions, that the world is
unknowable, he maintains his bias against the facts.
b.
The
uncertainty principle embodies indeterminism at the subatomic level. The
possible implication is that a perfect knowledge about a particle state cannot
be achieved which implies indeterminism specially in case of chaotic systems in
which any tiny change of initial conditions may result in a completely
different final result of the system evolution.
There are other two implications[9]
- one is ontological, the other is epistemological.
Ontology and
epistemology are the two branches of metaphysics. Ontology tells us what there
is and epistemology tells us how we know what there is. Ontology therefore
relates to reality and epistemology relates to consciousness. Note that
Metaphysics is about the relationship between reality and consciousness.
There is nothing
mysterious about the uncertainty principle – it simply declares the fact that
when we try to measure position and momentum, we can establish either one or
the other but not both. This is because we can’t establish one without
disturbing the other. This uncertainty relates to what we can and cannot know –
so it is a question of epistemology. Our inability to know both position and
momentum is an epistemological issue. The philosophical implications of this
limitation depend entirely on your ontology; in other words, they depend on the
philosophical assumptions embodied in your view of reality. If you subscribe to
realist ontology, then you believe reality exists independently of
consciousness.
Realists
therefore believe a particle actually has both position and momentum regardless
of whether you attempt to measure them. The fact that it is not possible to
state with total accuracy both the position and momentum of a particle leaves
realists in a predicament. On the one hand, they cannot reject the reality of
these variables – on the other, if these entities can’t be simultaneously measured,
do they really exist? Whether or not a particle actually has both position and
momentum is an ontological issue.
If, however you
adopt non-realist ontology, one that sees matter as dependent on mind, then
this ontology does not view a particle as something that actually has both
position and momentum prior to any attempt at measurement. In this view of
reality, position and momentum are quantities that are created as and when they
are measured – and not before. With this ontology there is no uncertainty –
there is only the inexorable fact that we can’t establish position and without
disturbing momentum and vice-versa.
Non-realist ontology
does not therefore require an uncertainty principle. So, whether or not the
uncertainty principle has philosophical implications depends entirely on your
ontology – and on the assumptions embodied in it. Realists have had to
postulate the (ontological) uncertainty principle to explain away the
(epistemological) difficulty in measurement.
The choice is
yours: an ontology that gives rise to epistemological difficulties – or one
that doesn’t. Of course realist / materialist beliefs are so entrenched, that
they’re not going to be relinquished overnight. Even, so I look forward to
seeing what science might achieve, once it shakes off the shackles of its
realists preconceptions. In a sense, this is already happening in QM where many
of the concepts it is currently exploring are ‘accommodations’ it is being
forced to embrace in order to adapt its realist foundations without ostensibly
abandoning them.
5.0 Conclusion
Notwithstanding
the implications of Quantum theory and uncertainty principle, Quantum theory is
used in a huge variety of applications in everyday life, including lasers, CDs,
DVDs, solar cells, fibre-optics, digital cameras, photocopiers, bar-code
readers, fluorescent lights, LED lights, computer screens, transistors,
semi-conductors, super-conductors, spectroscopy, MRI scanners, etc, etc. By
some estimates, over 25% of the GDP of developed countries is directly based on
quantum physics. It even explains the nuclear fusion processes taking place
inside stars. In the other hand, uncertainty principle, in its most common
form, states that there’s a fundamental relationship between our knowledge of a
quantum particle’s position and momentum of a physical system. Rather, these
quantities can only be determined with some characteristic “uncertainties” that
cannot become arbitrarily small simultaneously.[10]
Endnotes
[1] Quantum Theory. The Columbia
Electronic Encyclopedia®. 2013. Columbia University Press 21 Apr. 2022
https://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/quantum+theory
[2] History.com Editors. “The birth
of quantum theory”. History, A&E Television Networks, July 21,
2010, https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-birth-of-quantum-theory
[3] Hilgevoord, Jan and Jos Uffink,
"The Uncertainty Principle", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
(Winter 2016 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL =
<https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2016/entries/qt-uncertainty/>.
[4] Abhay Ashtekar, T. S. (1998).
Geometrical Formulation of Quantum Mechanics. In A. Harvey, On Einstein's
Path (pp. 23-63). New York:
Springer-Verlag.Albert, D. (1992)
[5] Heisenberg, W.K. The Physical
Principles of Quantum Theory. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1930,
15-19.
[6] W. JohnWheeler. Quantum Theory
and Measurement. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Maudlin, T. (1994)
[7] Kennard, E.H. (1927) Zur
Quantenmechanik einfacher Bewegungstypen.
Zeitschrift für Physik, 44, 326-352.http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01391200
[8] Jonathan Power. Philosophy and the New Physics, Rutledge, New York , 1991. P.54
[9] Barukčić, I. (2014) Anti Heisenberg—Refutation
of Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle. International Journal of Applied Physics
and Mathematics, 4, 244-250. http://dx.doi.org/10.7763/IJAPM.2014.V4.292
[10] Phillips, Thomas. The
Mathematical Uncertainty Principle. (2005, November). Retrieved May 27, 2020,
from American Mathematical Society:
http://www.ams.org/publicoutreach/feature-column/fcarc-uncertainty
Comments