Many Worlds, Many Minds: A Brain-Centric Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics/Relativity

Title: Many Worlds, Many Minds: A Brain-Centric Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics/Relativity.

*****Part 1: The Many Worlds of Quantum Mechanics: Everett, DeWitt, and Wheeler

Imagine a reality where every quantum event splits the universe, creating countless parallel worlds where every possibility unfolds. This is the essence of the Many-Worlds Interpretation (MWI) of quantum mechanics, a mind-boggling concept with profound implications for our understanding of reality. Hugh Everett, Bryce DeWitt, and John Wheeler were key figures in the development of MWI, each playing a unique role in shaping this controversial yet captivating idea.

For a summary of its development, see:

* https://arxiv.org/html/2405.06924v1

* https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/the-many-worlds-theory/

Their Roles in the Development of MWI

* Hugh Everett: First proposed the MWI in 1957 while a graduate student at Princeton University. Everett's doctoral thesis, "The Theory of the Universal Wave Function," introduced the concept of the universal wavefunction, which describes the quantum state of the entire universe.

* Bryce DeWitt: Instrumental in popularizing and advancing Everett’s MWI. He provided a clearer mathematical framework, coined the term "many worlds," and vividly described the branching of universes with each quantum event. Through influential publications, including a 1970 Physics Today article and the 1973 book The Many-Worlds Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics, DeWitt brought MWI into mainstream scientific discussion. He also defended the interpretation against critiques, emphasizing its consistency and theoretical elegance. His efforts established MWI as a serious contender in quantum mechanics debates.

* John Wheeler: Initially Everett's PhD advisor at Princeton University, Wheeler supported the early development of MWI. However, he later withdrew his support, favouring a cosmological perspective based on the Participatory Anthropic Principle (PAP). This principle suggests that the universe requires observers to give it meaning and that it could not exist without life. Wheeler believed that observers are necessary to collapse the wavefunction, giving rise to a definite reality. This shift in perspective may have been influenced by concerns about the philosophical implications of MWI and its apparent conflict with classical physics.

*****Part 2: The Wheeler-DeWitt Equation

Wheeler and DeWitt are also recognized for developing the "Wheeler-DeWitt equation." This equation attempts to combine the rules of the quantum world (quantum mechanics) with the rules of the large-scale universe (general relativity):

* Quantum mechanics describes the behaviour of atoms and particles. It's a probabilistic theory, meaning things aren't definite but rather have chances of happening.

* General relativity describes gravity and the universe on a large scale. It says that gravity is caused by the bending of space and time.

The Wheeler-DeWitt equation tries to apply the fuzziness of quantum mechanics to the entire universe! Imagine the universe as a constantly changing wave, where every possible arrangement of space and time exists simultaneously. The Wheeler-DeWitt equation tries to describe this wave and how it evolves.

Key points about the Wheeler-DeWitt equation:

* It's a very complex equation that's difficult to solve.

* It doesn't have a clear "time" variable, which makes it hard to interpret.

* It's a starting point for theories of quantum gravity, which aim to unify msg phycal theories of the universe.

*****Part 3: Bridging the Gap: The Brain-Centric Many Blockworlds Interpretation

It is possible to integrate the MWI with Wheeler's PAP at the level of individual consciousness. This concept, which I call the Brain-Centric Many Blockworlds Interpretation (BC-MBWI), proposes that individual consciousness plays a role in "piloting" the Everettian branching of universes. Each world is a block world (a static, unchanging spacetime) in superposition with other block worlds, as described by the Wheeler-DeWitt equation.

The Brain-Centric notions are derived from Ronald Cicurel's work, specifically "Brain-Centric: How the Mental Space Builds Our Realities." Cicurel explores how the brain constructs our perception of reality, arguing that our realities are mental constructs rather than objective truths.

* https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/Brain_Centric.html

This raises the possibility that our conscious experience influences the branching of universes, with each possible observation or decision leading to a different branch. This idea could be explored through empirical tests, such as analyzing brain activity during decision-making tasks and correlating it with quantum events.

I suggested some experiments to help with this.

* https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/philosophy-time-out-martin-ciupa-fqjjf/?trackingId=TvWezQXqQsGQPNyCljiuNQ%3D%3D

Conclusion

The Many-Worlds Interpretation offers a radical and fascinating view of reality. While it remains a controversial idea, the contributions of Everett, DeWitt, and Wheeler have laid the foundation for further exploration of this intriguing concept. By integrating MWI with Wheeler's PAP and incorporating a brain-centric perspective, the BC-MBWI model may provide a new avenue for understanding the relationship between consciousness and the quantum world. Further research and empirical testing are needed to fully explore the implications of this model and its potential to bridge the gap between quantum mechanics and our experience of reality.