Discovering invisible causes behind the visible world

B ell experiments demonstrate (within the limits of a few rather eccentric loopholes) nonlocal correlations between space-like separated events, which cannot be explained by means of relativistic influences bounded by the velocity of light. This means that one has to give up the view that the outcomes at each part of the setup result from properties preexisting in the particles before measurement: outcomes in Alice's (respectively Bob's) lab cannot be explained by the properties the photon carries when leaving the source and the settings of Alice's (respectively Bob's) measuring devices.

The before-before or Suarez-Scarani experiment demonstrates that these nonlocal correlations cannot be explained in terms of "before" and "after", by time-ordered nonlocal influences. Giving up the concept of locality is not sufficient to be consistent with quantum experiments, one has to give up nonlocal determinism, i.e. the view that one event occurring before in time can be considered the cause, and the other occurring later in time the effect. The time-notion makes sense only in the domain of the relativistic local phenomena. The nonlocal correlations cannot be explained by any history in spacetime, they come from outside spacetime. This experimental result upholds the Copenhagen or orthodox interpretation of Quantum Mechanics.

The single-photon space-like antibunching experiment (proposed 2010 and completed 2012) demonstrates that the most fundamental principle ruling the material world, the conservation of energy, requires nonlocal coordination of detection outcomes, i.e., non-material agency from outside space-time. Additionally, the experiment is a natural and most direct demonstration of nonlocality in a context where the violation of Bell inequalities cannot be used as a criterion for establishing nonlocality. In this sense, the experiment highlights the fact that the principle of nonlocality rules the whole of quantum physics and the material world emerges from non-material features.

Through these and many other experiments in the past years we have reached a better understanding of what nolocality means: “that quantum correlations happen without the flow of time”, “that quantum correlations come from outside spacetime”, “that spacetime does not contain the whole of physical reality”, “that quantum phenomena cannot be explained exclusively by material principles”. It is not necessary to have the psi ability of “clairvoyance” to see that results proving that “quantum phenomena come from outside spacetime” and “conservation of energy requires non-material agency” define a new era in science. In fact, they support the view that non-material principles can steer the material world.

The Center for Quantum Philosophy, based in Zurich and Geneva, aims at wide-spreading these discoveries, and to stimulate the discussion about their cultural and philosophical implications.

In this web site, you will find:

A talk by John Bell explaining his theorem at the CERN (Geneva), followed by an exciting discussion on scientific and philosophical issues.

Tutorial-presentations explaining the basic principles of the quantum world, and the relevance of the before-before experiment.

A list of publications presenting the experiment and discussing his scientific, metaphysical and cultural implications.

A biographical note telling the story behind the mentioned experiment.

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