The Quantum Bias: Why Is It Almost Certain That Consciousness Does Not Create Reality?: Quantum woo-woo, #1

The Quantum Bias

Why is it Almost Certain That Consciousness Does not Create Reality?

Quantum woo-woo

​Preface

Since the dawn of quantum physics, a fascinating promise has lingered in the collective imagination: what if our consciousness could influence reality itself? This idea, seductive and almost magical, has traversed decades, finding its way into philosophical circles, esoteric doctrines, and even self-help narratives. Yet, at the core of this popular theory lies a delicate blend of scientific misunderstandings, intellectual shortcuts, and a profound human yearning to transcend the cold mechanics of the universe.

This book was born from this realization: as beautiful and mysterious as quantum physics may be, it has been co-opted for purposes far beyond the scope of science. Rather than clarifying our connection to reality, these misinterpretations fuel illusions about the role of consciousness, blending mysticism, spirituality, and science into an often unpalatable mix.

Within these pages, we will embark on a journey. First, we will trace the philosophical and religious roots of modern science, exploring how its mystical and rational heritage intertwined to create a deeply ambivalent worldview. Next, we will delve into the fascinating history of quantum physics, from its foundations to the heated debates surrounding the measurement problem. Finally, we will confront the popular and esoteric interpretations of this revolutionary science with its raw reality—often stranger, yet also more grounded, than commonly believed.

This book does not aim to discredit those who seek spiritual meaning or existential inspiration in science. It does not deny humanity’s need for transcendence but seeks to restore quantum physics to its rightful place: as a scientific endeavor, complex and unfinished, to understand the fundamental laws of the universe.

Does reality bend to our consciousness? Are the mysteries of the universe an invitation to revisit ancient spiritual traditions? Or are we mere witnesses, captivated, by the immense cosmic indifference surrounding us? The answers are never simple, but they deserve to be approached with rigor, clarity, and, above all, respect for scientific truth.

This is a plea for intellectual honesty and clarity—a call to honor the beauty of quantum physics while rejecting the biases that obscure its understanding. And, perhaps, an invitation to embrace the reality that, in its infinite strangeness, does not need us to exist.

The Publisher,

Gauss G. Denis

​1. Quantum Physics and Consciousness: Do We Really Create Our Own Reality?

The 20th century seemingly achieved an unprecedented feat in Western history: bringing science closer to spirituality. At least, this is what the bold claims of many prominent online figures, bestselling authors, and a profusion of digital publications would have us believe. Behind these assertions are resolute minds convinced that clear and precise—sometimes secret—connections exist between the discoveries of quantum physics—such as entanglement, superposition, and wave-particle duality—and ancient beliefs, particularly those of the East.

For the Dalai Lama, some of the concepts of modern scientific knowledge, particularly in the study of subatomic phenomena and psychology, were known in India more than 2,000 years ago. This position, shared by the nuclear energy researcher often referred to as the Sakharov of India, is supported by the argument that Buddhist thinkers delved into questions we only discovered much later. As a result, they are not unsettled, unlike today's Western physicists, by certain counterintuitive contradictions.

Indeed, contemporary research has disrupted long-established views of matter. However, the new way it helps us understand the universe—popularized since the 1990s—would, it seems, be familiar to the disciples of Siddhartha for millennia.

​I. An Unprecedented Convergence Between Science and Mysticism

The convergence of science and mysticism is not entirely new. Oppenheimer, Bohr, and Heisenberg reportedly noticed similarities between particle behavior and certain Asian cosmologies (Capra, 1975). For example, the concept of impermanence is often compared to the uncertainty principle. Such parallels are intriguing but can easily lead to dubious interpretations. Our thinking, uncomfortable with ambiguity, prefers clear and logical answers.

​The Energy That Connects All Things

The tension between spirituality and rationality becomes even more palpable when we consider some of the highly original ideas proposed by certain pioneers of science and renowned intellectuals admired for their genius.

1. Consciousness as the Foundation of Matter. — Max Planck, the founding father of quantum theory, is said to have pushed the boundaries of mathematical equations. Disregarding the analytical rigor of empirical methods, he hypothesized an autonomous consciousness as the constituent of tangible reality. His assertion that « matter cannot exist independently of the mind » echoes distant concepts from Hinduism and Taoism, notably the notion of Atman.

2. Panpsychism and the Defeat of Materialism. — Cutting-edge New Physics flirts with panpsychism, a metaphysical framework asserting that psyche is a fundamental property of the macrocosm. This oft-repeated postulate boldly challenges materialism, now deemed reductive and narrow, and predicts the imminent collapse of rationality's entire architecture. This doctrine posits that cognitive experience is not merely an epiphenomenon of the human brain but is etched into the configuration of the perceptible world. The theories of thinkers like Roger Penrose and such daring assumptions share a friendly rapport.

3. Holographic Unity. — David Bohm’s « implicate order » describes a holographic reality where all the information of visible existence is hidden within each of its fragments. There exists an integral and absolute intelligence. Reading such ideas, one might joyfully recall certain concepts of cosmic unity or esoteric Sufi principles and exclaim: «We are all part of an infinite network of connections, mere fragments of a vast, immeasurable whole.»

4. A Primordial Force. — Fritjof Capra, in The Tao of Physics (1975), was among the first to link quantum physics to mystical traditions (notably Taoism), long before Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Taoist philosophy rests on the idea of a primordial force, an invisible matrix present everywhere. The Tao is neither a personal god nor a supreme being but an energy that connects Nature's opposing aspects.

​Universal Unity in Spiritual Traditions

Various spiritual traditions, each in its unique way, strive to grasp the ultimate unity beyond appearances and the superficial, arbitrary distinctions created by our deceptive senses.

5. Brahman in the Upanishads. — In Hinduism, Brahman embodies completeness, the quintessence of the boundless. Its essence eludes conceptual categories and definitions, no matter how precise. Immanent, it resides in all things, yet transcendent, it surpasses the phenomenal world. Brahman manifests without attributes (nirguna) or with them (saguna), often taking divine forms such as Vishnu or Shiva. The Upanishads, sacred texts of Vedic literature, explore Brahman’s relationship with Atman, the inner nature of every living being, expressed through the aphorism « Tat tvam asi » (You are that). Rather than confining Brahman to rigid definitions, the Upanishads delve into its essence using metaphors and reflections that encourage transcending ordinary language and thought.

6. The Illusion of Separation in Advaita Vedanta. — According to Advaita Vedanta, there is no difference between the individual and the universe: all is Brahman. Once this realization dawns, individual events dissolve. The mystical quest aims to dispel the illusion of separation (avidya) to attain liberation (moksha) and end the cycle of reincarnation (samsara). Spiritual practices such as jnana yoga facilitate this awakening through the study of sacred texts, self-contemplation, and detachment from material objects and ego.

7. Sufism and the Unity of All Existence. — Sufism, the mystical tradition of Islam, presents a vision in which God is the source of all existence and every soul. This is not a distant deity; God dwells within every creature and in the innermost being of the seeker. In this unity (tawhid), all creation becomes consciousness. The Sufi aspires to shed their ego to experience perfect union with the Origin.

​The Legacy of Ancient Greece and Buddhist Thought

Western philosophy and Buddhist thought, despite arising from distinct historical contexts, share a common interest in the nature of reality and existence. The concepts conveyed by these two philosophical traditions sometimes converge but also present significant divergences, particularly regarding the understanding of matter, mind, and the relationship between the two.

8. Atoms and Matter-Mind Relations in Western Philosophy. — From ancient Greece, philosophers sought to explain reality through matter or a duality between matter and mind. Democritus and Leucippus proposed that the universe is composed of invisible and indivisible particles: atoms. They believed everything could be explained through these particles, without invoking a deity or higher force. Later thinkers like Aristotle, Plato, and Descartes in the 17th century offered a different thesis. They viewed the universe as a product of both matter (the physical) and mind (that which provides meaning), resulting in a world divided into two: body and soul. This division profoundly influenced later philosophies, as noted by Capra (1975).

9. Dependent Origination. — In Buddhist thought, dependent origination (pratītyasamutpāda) teaches that nothing exists independently: everything arises from multiple conditions. Unlike Greek philosophical concepts, this notion does not seek a primordial substance but emphasizes the fluidity and interrelation of phenomena. It is not a simple cause-and-effect relationship. There is no fundamental element or ultimate creator. The universe operates as a cycle where things arise, transform, and disappear, without beginning or end.

10. The Dhammas. — Basic particles are not solely physical; they are also systems that organize the universe. By the 1st century BCE, the Abhidhamma of the Theravāda school described reality in terms of « ultimate elements » (dhammas). An example is kalāpas: small clusters close to one another but without real contact, constantly changing under the influence of natural forces.

11. Nagarjuna’s Critique of Ultimate Elements. — In the 2nd century, Nagarjuna and Aryadeva of the Madhyamaka school challenged the Abhidhamma. Nagarjuna argued that anything occupying space or time can be divided, thereby rejecting the concept of ultimate elements. Aryadeva emphasized that matter does not exist independently but is intertwined with consciousness.

12. The Interdependence of Matter and Consciousness in Tibetan Tradition. — Tibetan philosophy, inspired by Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions, builds on this logic, rejecting the separation between subject and object, mind and body. It demonstrates that these distinctions are mental constructs. Buddhism transcends dualism by affirming that existence is inseparable from the observer.

13. Emptiness. — In his Twenty Verses, Aryadeva argues that every phenomenon is defined by its interactions. Emptiness (śūnyatā), central to Madhyamaka thought, opposes the notion of a fixed reality. According to Algas, intrinsic properties are inventions, as they lack real substance, a view echoed by modern constructivists who reject objectivism.

14. Non-Dualist Causality. — Causality in the Tibetan tradition is seen as a non-dualist process, distinct from essentialism and theism. The mind, irreducible to the physical world, is perceived as a universal field.

​II. The Limits of Scientific Objectivity

Capra (1975) is not wrong in asserting that since the 17th century, thinkers like Galileo and Newton have developed a scientific model based on experimentation and reproducibility, aiming to produce universal discoveries independent of the observer. He is also correct in pointing out the flaws in this approach. Philosophers such as Thomas Kuhn have recently demonstrated that science, despite its claims, remains influenced by the social and historical contexts of its development.

​Observation, Feeling, and Understanding

The act of observation, like that of feeling and understanding, goes beyond mere observation to include the inner state of the observer. This perspective aligns with the spiritual approach to reality, where the perception of the world involves not only sensory data but also personal and intimate interpretation.

15. Reason and Intuition. — Eastern philosophy is fundamentally based on intuitive observation: each perception depends on the state of consciousness of the subject (Capra, 1975). While these approaches may appear opposed to the Western scientific method, some philosophers, such as Schopenhauer and Bergson, have highlighted their complementarities. They acknowledged the limits of reason and the richness of intuition.

16. The Two Faces of Scientific Inquiry. — Science, though it may sometimes seem divided in its objectives, shares a common drive for discovery with spiritual traditions. According to Zukav (1979), physicists will never fully understand the world. He argues that they engage, like Wu Li, in an endless dance, never reaching an absolute truth. For this reason, he divides them into two groups: technicians, who apply existing knowledge, and scientists, who seek what is yet to be discovered. For Zukav, great creators—whether scientists, artists, or writers—constantly push the boundaries of our understanding. In his view, scientific inquiry can also reflect or even dialogue with other forms of searching for meaning.

17. A Metaphor Without a Shared Method. — Science seeks to understand the mechanisms of perception, while meditative traditions demonstrate how to cultivate it. Unlike Eastern philosophy, which transforms our relationship to the world, science focuses on the accumulation of measurable knowledge. Any possible complementarity would be no more than a metaphor and certainly not a shared method; one is dedicated to facts, the other to inner perception.

18. Two Paths to Intuition. — Yoga and tai chi, though originating from distinct cultures, aim for the same unity of mind and body to access immediate knowledge (Capra, 1975). Yoga teaches that intuition arises when the mind is freed from distractions. Tai chi, on the other hand, through its fluid movements, fosters a state of serenity conducive to this perception.

​Direct Experience

After exploring how yoga and tai chi connect the mind and body to access intuition, we turn to another essential dimension: that of direct experience. This perspective offers rich insights into how personal lived experience becomes a central criterion for accessing intimate and immediate truth.

19. Personal Experience as a Criterion of Truth. — Buddhism views consciousness as fluid, without a permanent identity. It encourages individuals to experience reality for themselves, as illustrated in the Kalama Sutta, which advises against accepting truths without personally