Over two thousand years ago, Aristotle concluded that our reality consists of:
“… a multitude of single things (substances), each of them characterized by intrinsic properties …” (Audretsch, 2004, p274).
This view, later called materialism, was simple, intuitive, and fruitful. It is simple because it lets the things we see cause everything. It is intuitive because it lets matter consist of fundamental particles. And it was fruitful because the study of matter let science grow.
Materialism has served science well over the years, but what worked in the past doesn’t always continue to work. The harsh truth of modern physics is that particles can’t explain how light behaves. A particle can’t go through two slits to interfere with itself, but light can. A particle can’t detect an object without touching it, but light can. A particle can’t find the fastest path to any destination, but light can. A particle can’t decide its path when it arrives, but light does. Particles can’t interact faster than light, but entangled photons can. Materialism is the mother of physics but when reality bites us, it has no answer.
Then along came quantum theory with all the answers based on quantum waves. It was perfect but for the fact that it described what was physically impossible. Nature has confirmed quantum theory in every case, but physics disowned it based on its physicalist foundations, to instead believe in miracles and fairy tales.
3.9.1. Fairy Tales for Physicists
3.9.2. Quantum Theory is Science
3.9.3. The Measurement Problem
3.9.4. Beyond Physicalism
3.9.5. The Unmeasured Reality
3.9.6. Plato’s Cave