Chapter 2 - The Fall Of Materialist Ontology

Question 1

Max Planck

Answer 1

Discovered quantum

Question 2

Niels Bohr

Answer 2

Realized atom is stable because electrons emir light only when jumping from higher to lower orbit. If in lowest orbit, there is none to jump to hence it is stable.

Question 3

Quantum jump

Answer 3

Electrons jump orbit by disappearing in one and reappears in the other

Question 4

Quantum mechanics

Answer 4

Revealed electron’s quantum leaping ability originates from wave nature; electrons are waves of possibility

Question 5

Atomic electron

Answer 5

When not observed, due to interaction with electromagnetic field, becomes superposition of being in two or more orbits at once

When observed, possibility of being in two or more places becomes actuality of being in one place momentarily, and simultaneous light quantum emitted.

Question 6

Erwin schrodinger

Answer 6

Co-discoverer of new quantum mechanics; equation that quantum possibility waves (wave functions or coherent superpositions) obey.

Question 7

James Frank and Gustav Hertz

Answer 7

Proved atomic energy exists as discontinuous energy levels, and electron can’t take on energy between these values

Question 8

Quantum tunneling (barrier penetration)

Answer 8

Electron disappears on one side of the barrier and reappears in the other side, never going through

Question 9

Max Born

Answer 9

First to interpret quantum objects as waves of possibility - the square of their wave amplitude gives the probability of finding the object in a particular actuality

Question 10

Wave packet

Answer 10

Electron possibility wave. Electrons behavior is probabilistic, can’t predict definite position

Question 11

Werner Heisenberg

Answer 11

Co-discoverer of quantum mechanics

We cannot measure with utmost accuracy both the position and velocity of a quantum object simultaneously

Question 12

Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle

Answer 12

The product of the position and momentum uncertainties is greater than or equal to a constant of nature, designated as h

Can never determine values of Newtonian determinism: initial position and velocity, therefore it’s impossible to predict trajectories of objects in motion

Question 13

Quantum of action

Answer 13

Discovered by planck, constant of nature

Question 14

Creativity

Answer 14

When consciousness collapses actuality from possibility there is room for free will, creativity, and divine purposiveness.

Question 15

Theory of relativity

Answer 15

Speed of light as limit for speed of material objects

All influences assumed to be local

Question 16

First argument against materialism

Answer 16

Quantum electron model

Proof that continuity doesn’t hold

Question 17

Second argument against materialism

Answer 17

Matter is measured by a quantum possibility wave

Proof that determinism doesn’t hold

Question 18

Third argument against materialism

Answer 18

Nonlocally correlated quantum systems - parts can move in possibility very far from each other, yet when collapsed the parts still correlate with each other

Proof that locality doesn’t hold

Question 19

Transcendent

Answer 19

Domain that transcends space and time

Nonlocal influence is transcendent, operates from outside space time but has influence within space-time

Question 20

Remaining tenets of materialism

Answer 20

Objectivity - consciousness can’t collapse possibility into actuality if it is material
material monism - in question if consciousness is nonmaterial
epiphenomenalism - doubtful if consciousness isn’t a product of the brain