scholarly journals Narrative Quantum Cosmology in Michael Frayn’s Copenhagen

2021 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-86
Author(s):  
Omid Amani ◽  
Hossein Pirnajmuddin
Keyword(s):  
Quantum Cosmology ◽  
Quantum Physics ◽  
Possible Worlds ◽  
Niels Bohr ◽  
Werner Heisenberg ◽  
Alternate History ◽  
Parallel Universes ◽  
Possible Worlds Theory ◽  
A Site ◽  
Scientific Ideas

Abstract Twentieth-century drama has made the stage a site for reflecting on science. Michael Frayn’s Copenhagen, considered by many as one of the most striking contributions to “science plays,” portrays the elusive yet crucial short meeting of the two pillars of quantum physics, Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg, in the autumn of 1941. The play employs ‘real’ scientists as characters that recurrently refer to and explain their scientific ideas such as uncertainty and complementarity, recognized as the Copenhagen Interpretation. Adopting the approach of possible worlds theory, this article analyses the concept of ‘possible worlds’ as projected in Copenhagen in light of the idea that physics itself has proposed a proliferation of parallel universes (multiverse). In fact, our main thesis is that the play offers an alternate history and brings about a myriad of counterfactuals that are tested as “drafts.”

scholarly journals On the quantum description of the early universe

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (2 Jul-Dec) ◽  
pp. 263
Author(s):  
Gabriel R Bengochea
Keyword(s):  
Early Universe ◽  
Quantum Physics ◽  
Niels Bohr ◽  
Werner Heisenberg ◽  
Quantum Description ◽  
Realistic Theory ◽  
The World ◽  
The Universe ◽  
Origin Of The Universe ◽  
The Ideal

Why is it interesting to try to understand the origin of the universe? Everything we observe today, including our existence, arose from that event. Although we still do not have a theory that allows us to describe the origin itself, the study of the very early era of the universe involves the ideal terrain to analyze the interface between two of today’s most successful physical theories, General Relativity and Quantum physics. But it is also an area in which we have a large number of observational data to test our theoretical ideas. Two of the fathers of Quantum physics, Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg, shared some thoughts that could be described with these words: Quantum physics tells us that there is a line between the observed and the observer, and therefore science should be limited to what is observed. We must give up a complete, objective and realistic theory of the world. This article will orbit around these ideas and summarizes how it is that today, from recent works, we are in a position to try to challenge them (at least in part) through cosmology, seeking the quantum description of the early universe.

scholarly journals Beyond Superstrings. The Origin of Electric Charge and Magnetic Spin.

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wim Vegt
Keyword(s):  
Quantum Physics ◽  
Elementary Particles ◽  
Niels Bohr ◽  
Werner Heisenberg ◽  
Planck Length ◽  
Superstring Theory ◽  
The Standard Model ◽  
The World ◽  
Magnetic Spin ◽  
Mathematical Equations

The world beyond Superstrings describes a world with dimensions smaller than Planck length (1.616229 x 10-35 [m] ). Since 1971 Superstrings within the dimensions of the Planck length have been considered the building elements for elementary particles . The question rises: What are Superstrings made of? What is the building material for Superstrings. What are the 10 dimensions? This book offers an attempt to find new answers beyond unknown borders.To find the new unknown boundaries we have to go back in time. Because when we start with the same mathematical equations, the same knowledge, the same procedures, we will always find the same outcome, the same answers. And soon we will believe that there is only one outcome. The only outcome within the Standard Model where we will find the same elementary particles grounded on the same Superstring Theory. To escape from the vicious circle in Quantum Mechanics, we have to leave the path of well known physics. We have to leave behind the founders of Quantum Physics. Great scientists like Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg. We have to leave behind the safe path of well- known physics.

Ancient Philosophy, Quantum Reality and Management

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anindo Bhattacharjee
Keyword(s):  
Uncertainty Principle ◽  
Quantum Physics ◽  
Ancient Philosophy ◽  
Physical World ◽  
Scientific Management ◽  
Werner Heisenberg ◽  
Deterministic Models ◽  
Late 19Th Century ◽  
Quantum Reality ◽  
New View

The romanticism of management for numbers, metrics and deterministic models driven by mathematics, is not new. It still exists. This is exactly the problem which classical physicists had in the late 19th century until Werner Heisenberg brought the uncertainty principle and opened the doors of quantum physics that challenged the deterministic view of the physical world mostly driven by the Newtonian view. In this paper, we propose an uncertainty principle of management and then list a set of factors which capture this uncertainty quite well and arrive at a new view of scientific management thought. The new view which we call as the Quantum view of Management (QVM) will be based on the major tenets from the ancient philosophical traditions viz., Jainism, Taoism, Advaita Vedanta, Buddhism, Greek philosophers (like Hereclitus) etc.

scholarly journals Bootstrapped Newtonian Cosmology and the Cosmological Constant Problem

Symmetry ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 358
Author(s):  
Roberto Casadio ◽  
Andrea Giusti
Keyword(s):  
Black Holes ◽  
Cosmological Constant ◽  
Quantum Cosmology ◽  
Quantum Physics ◽  
Gravitational Interaction ◽  
Newtonian Gravity ◽  
Cosmological Constant Problem ◽  
Newtonian Cosmology ◽  
Natural Solution ◽  
The Impact

Bootstrapped Newtonian gravity was developed with the purpose of estimating the impact of quantum physics in the nonlinear regime of the gravitational interaction, akin to corpuscular models of black holes and inflation. In this work, we set the ground for extending the bootstrapped Newtonian picture to cosmological spaces. We further discuss how such models of quantum cosmology can lead to a natural solution to the cosmological constant problem.

scholarly journals ‘Your duplicitous point of view’: Delayed revelations of hypothetical focalisation in Ian McEwan’s Atonement and Sweet Tooth

2021 ◽  
pp. 096394702110097
Author(s):  
Naomi Adam
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Possible Worlds ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Possible Worlds Theory ◽  
Ian Mcewan

Framed by cognitive-poetic and possible worlds theories, this article explores two 21st century novels by the British postmodernist author Ian McEwan. Building upon Ryan’s (1991) seminal conceptualisation of the theory in relation to literature and using the novels as case studies, possible worlds theory is used to explain the unique and destabilising stylistic effects at play in the texts, which result in a ‘duplicitous point of view’ and consequent disorientation for the reader. With reference to the stylistically deviant texts of McEwan, it is argued that revisions to current theoretical frameworks are warranted. Most significantly, the concepts of suppositious text-possible worlds and (total) frame readjustment are introduced. Further to this, neuropsychiatric research is applied to the novels, highlighting the potential for interdisciplinary overlap in the study of narrative focalisation. It is concluded that the duplicity integral to both novels’ themes and texture is effected through artful use of hypothetical focalisation and suppositious text-possible worlds.

The Crocodile and the Elephant

1997 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 309-316
Author(s):  
A. R. Mackintosh
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Physics ◽  
Quantum Physics ◽  
Great Majority ◽  
Gold Medal ◽  
Niels Bohr ◽  
Memorial Lecture ◽  
Mcgill University ◽  
Peter Kapitza ◽  
The University ◽  
University Of Manchester

In 1907 Ernest Rutherford (later named ‘The Crocodile’ by Peter Kapitza), 36 years old and already a world–famous physicist, moved from McGill University in Montreal, Canada, to the University of Manchester, England. In the same year Niels Bohr (later known by some as ‘The Elephant’––he was one of the very few non–royal recipients of the Order of the Elephant), a 22–year–old student at the University of Copenhagen, received the gold medal of the Royal Danish Academy for his first research project, an experimental and theoretical study of water jets. During the next 30 years, until Rutherford's death in 1937, these two great scientists dominated quantum physics. Rutherford was the father of nuclear physics; together they founded atomic physics; and, with their students and colleagues, they were responsible for the great majority of the decisive advances made in the inter–war years. This lecture tells the story of the development in quantum physics, and makes some comparisons between Bohr and Rutherford–as men and scientists–drawing especially on their extensive correspondence between 1912 and 1937, the material that Bohr gathered in connection with the publication in 1961 of his Rutherford Memorial Lecture, the interviews that he gave just before his death in 1962, and other published and unpublished material from the Niels Bohr Archive in Copenhagen.

The Evil That Free Will Does: Plantinga’s Dubious Defense

Metaphysica ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Maller
Keyword(s):  
Modal Logic ◽  
Free Will ◽  
Possible Worlds ◽  
Problem Of Evil ◽  
Freedom Of Will ◽  
The Problem Of Evil ◽  
Possible Worlds Theory ◽  
Free Will Defense

Abstract Alvin Plantinga’s controversial free will defense (FWD) for the problem of evil is an important attempt to show with certainty that moral evils are compatible and justifiable with God’s omnipotence and omniscience. I agree with critics who argue that it is untenable and the FWD fails. This paper proposes new criticisms by analyzing Plantinga’s presuppositions and objectionable assumptions in God, Freedom and Evil. Notably, his limited concept of omnipotence, and possible worlds theory lack rigorous argument and are subjectively biased with irrelevant weak examples. My ontological possible worlds theory (Possible Conditional Timelines) shows that it is very likely that the omnipotent God exists of necessity in some worlds but perhaps not this one. Omnipotence is total and absolute, and should imply the freedom of will to actualize all worlds God chooses. Plantinga’s position regarding God’s omniscience of future counterfactuals is implausible based on modal logic conjecture.

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