Ian J. Thompson, <I.Thompson@surrey.ac.uk> (Physics Dept,
Surrey University, Guildford, UK)
April 4, 2008
If we
examine the natural structures found by quantum physics, we find that energy
operators, quantum-mechanical propensities and outcome-events form a triple
set of material ‘discrete degrees’. This is in the sense that they
simultaneously exist in their own way, without being reduced to another.
Furthermore, the energy operators (Hamiltonians) generate the propensities
(wave functions), which in turn generate actual outcomes. (Even though we do
not yet know the timings of the last step, we have many hypotheses.) I
therefore name this triple as of ‘discrete degrees’, or ‘multiple generative
levels’. A similar set can be found if we take quantum gravity (pregeometric
processes) to generate Lagrangians for virtual processes in spacetime, which
in turn generate the triple (sub)degrees of energy/propensity/actual-event.
(Even though we do not yet know the details of pregeometric processes, we
are forming many hypotheses.)
Now, just
as the first ‘material triple’ is the set of sublevels in the final level of
a more global ‘physical triple’, I now hypothesize that the physical triple
is again a set of sublevels in the final level of a yet more global
triple. This global triple, for reasons to be given, is taken to be
composed of two new parts: namely some kind of ‘spiritual’ processes
followed by some kind of mental processes. We assume that the ‘recursive
nesting’ pattern of levels and sublevels is repeated, so we have some
guidelines for exploring these new degrees. There is already evidence from
stage developmental theories of Erikson, Piaget, Gowan and Commons that the
mental degrees have multiple sublevels of affectional and cognitive
development of the required kinds. There is further empirical evidence from
Swedenborg that the spiritual degrees have similar substructures, and indeed
he hypothesizes that this ‘multiple generative level’ pattern is universal.
We
therefore need to integrate our knowledges from physics and psychology (and,
as necessary, from elsewhere) to ascertain the true nature of the discrete
degrees as identified here, and see whether they in fact form a universal
dynamical structure of the scope indicated. Then, since reductionism does
not work even within physics, we would get an effective or ‘generalised’
dualism of mind and nature, one moreover according to which they are still
constantly related by causal connections of similar kinds to those already
discovered in the sciences. Mind and nature, without being reduced to the
other, would be both part of a more complicated structure that the
scientists have already begun to investigate in detail even though they have
not yet seen the whole picture.
