Introduction

• One universe versus many worlds
• Restoring determinism with nonlocal hidden variables
• Redefining reality and logic
• The role of consciousness in determining reality

Trying to figure out the true meaning of quantum physics and the nature of reality is a tall order. Although a lot has been written and said on the subject in the last few decades, it’s worth noting that many practicing physicists would say most of this discussion is well outside the realm of physics.

If you just want to do physics—to utilize the laws of nature that apply to molecules, atoms, nuclei, and quarks—you don’t need to know what it means for a particle to have objective existence, whether determinism still holds, or any of that fancy stuff. Many physicists are quite happy to leave these questions to philosophers, theologians, psychologists, and others.

Nevertheless, we will boldly push even further toward the edge of our understanding, stretching our ability to imagine and describe this new reality. We’ll look at some alternatives to the Copenhagen interpretation. A major portion of will be taken up by exploring where consciousness fits into our new worldview. There are many alternative views out there, and we won’t attempt to cover them all here. But we hope to offer you a tantalizing taste of the more widely followed interpretations, along with some of the more recent thinking by minds contemplating the mind.