Fundamental Fysiks Group
Encyclopedia
The Fundamental Fysiks Group was founded in San Francisco in May 1975 by two physicists, Elizabeth Rauscher
and George Weissmann, at the time both graduate students at the University of California, Berkeley. The group held informal discussions on Friday afternoons to explore the philosophical implications of quantum theory
. Leading members included Fritjof Capra
, John Clauser
, Philippe Eberhard, Nick Herbert
, Jack Sarfatti
, Saul-Paul Sirag, Henry Stapp
, and Fred Alan Wolf
.
David Kaiser
wrote a book titled How the Hippies Saved Physics: Science, Counterculture, and the Quantum Revival which had as a thesis that the group's meetings and papers helped to nurture and advance the ideas in quantum physics that came to form the basis of quantum information science
.
and becoming local celebrities in the Bay Area's counterculture. When Francis Ford Coppola
bought City Magazine in 1975, one of its earliest features was on the Fundamental Fysiks Group, including a photo spread of Sirag, Wolf, Herbert, and Sarfatti.
writes that several challenging ideas lie at the heart of quantum physics: that electrons behave like waves and particles; that you can know a particle's location or momentum, but not both; that observing a particle changes its behavior; and that particles appear to communicate with each other across great distances, known as nonlocality
and quantum entanglement
. It is these concepts that led to the development of quantum information science and quantum encryption, which is used, for example, to transfer money and electronic votes. Kaiser argues that the Fundamental Fysiks Group saved physics by exploring these ideas, in three ways:
Specifically, in 1981, Nick Herbert, a member of the group, proposed a scheme for sending signals faster than the speed of light
using quantum entanglement
. Quantum computing pioneer Asher Peres
writes that the refutation of Herbert's ideas led to the development of the no-cloning theorem by William Wootters
, Wojciech Zurek
, and Dennis Dieks
.
and telepathy
, the group cultivated patrons such as the Central Intelligence Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency, and human potential movement. The CIA and DIA set up a program called ESPionage, financing experiments into remote viewing
at the Stanford Research Institute, where the Fundamental Physics Group became what Kaiser calls its house theorists.
Books
Elizabeth Rauscher
Elizabeth A. Rauscher is an American physicist and parapsychologist. She is a former researcher with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the Stanford Research Institute, and NASA....
and George Weissmann, at the time both graduate students at the University of California, Berkeley. The group held informal discussions on Friday afternoons to explore the philosophical implications of quantum theory
Quantum theory
Quantum theory may mean:In science:*Quantum mechanics: a subset of quantum physics explaining the physical behaviours at atomic and sub-atomic levels*Old quantum theory under the Bohr model...
. Leading members included Fritjof Capra
Fritjof Capra
Fritjof Capra is an Austrian-born American physicist. He is a founding director of the Center for Ecoliteracy in Berkeley, California, and is on the faculty of Schumacher College....
, John Clauser
John Clauser
John Francis Clauser is an American theoretical and experimental physicist known for contributions to the foundations of quantum mechanics, in particular the Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt inequality....
, Philippe Eberhard, Nick Herbert
Nick Herbert (physicist)
Nick Herbert is an American physicist and author, best known for his book Quantum Reality.Herbert studied Engineering Physics at the Ohio State University, graduating in 1959. He received a Ph.D. in physics from Stanford University in 1967 for work on nuclear scattering experiments...
, Jack Sarfatti
Jack Sarfatti
Jack Sarfatti is an American theoretical physicist specializing in the relationship between quantum physics and consciousness...
, Saul-Paul Sirag, Henry Stapp
Henry Stapp
Henry Stapp is an American physicist, well-known for his work in quantum mechanics.-Biography:Stapp received his PhD in particle physics at the University of California, Berkeley, under the supervision of Nobel Laureates Emilio Segrè and Owen Chamberlain...
, and Fred Alan Wolf
Fred Alan Wolf
Fred Alan Wolf is an American theoretical physicist specializing in quantum physics and the relationship between physics and consciousness. He is a former physics professor at San Diego State University, and more recently has helped to popularize science on the Discovery Channel...
.
David Kaiser
David Kaiser
David Kaiser is an American physicist and historian of science. He is Germeshausen Professor of the History of Science and department head of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's program in Science, Technology, and Society...
wrote a book titled How the Hippies Saved Physics: Science, Counterculture, and the Quantum Revival which had as a thesis that the group's meetings and papers helped to nurture and advance the ideas in quantum physics that came to form the basis of quantum information science
Quantum information science
Quantum information science is an area of study based on the idea that information science depends on quantum effects in physics. It includes theoretical issues in computational models as well as more experimental topics in quantum physics including what can and cannot be done with quantum...
.
Celebrity
Kaiser writes that the group were "very smart and very playful," discussing quantum mysticismQuantum mysticism
Quantum mysticism is a term that has been used to refer to a set of metaphysical beliefs and associated practices that seek to relate consciousness, intelligence or mystical world-views to the ideas of quantum mechanics and its interpretations...
and becoming local celebrities in the Bay Area's counterculture. When Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford Coppola is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. He is widely acclaimed as one of Hollywood's most innovative and influential film directors...
bought City Magazine in 1975, one of its earliest features was on the Fundamental Fysiks Group, including a photo spread of Sirag, Wolf, Herbert, and Sarfatti.
Bell's theorem and no-cloning theorem
Hugh GustersonHugh Gusterson
Hugh Gusterson is an anthropologist currently at George Mason University.His expertise is in nuclear culture, international security and the anthropology of science....
writes that several challenging ideas lie at the heart of quantum physics: that electrons behave like waves and particles; that you can know a particle's location or momentum, but not both; that observing a particle changes its behavior; and that particles appear to communicate with each other across great distances, known as nonlocality
Nonlocality
In Classical physics, nonlocality is the direct influence of one object on another, distant object. In Quantum mechanics, nonlocality refers to the absence of a local, realist model in agreement with quantum mechanical predictions.Nonlocality may refer to:...
and quantum entanglement
Quantum entanglement
Quantum entanglement occurs when electrons, molecules even as large as "buckyballs", photons, etc., interact physically and then become separated; the type of interaction is such that each resulting member of a pair is properly described by the same quantum mechanical description , which is...
. It is these concepts that led to the development of quantum information science and quantum encryption, which is used, for example, to transfer money and electronic votes. Kaiser argues that the Fundamental Fysiks Group saved physics by exploring these ideas, in three ways:
Specifically, in 1981, Nick Herbert, a member of the group, proposed a scheme for sending signals faster than the speed of light
Speed of light
The speed of light in vacuum, usually denoted by c, is a physical constant important in many areas of physics. Its value is 299,792,458 metres per second, a figure that is exact since the length of the metre is defined from this constant and the international standard for time...
using quantum entanglement
Quantum entanglement
Quantum entanglement occurs when electrons, molecules even as large as "buckyballs", photons, etc., interact physically and then become separated; the type of interaction is such that each resulting member of a pair is properly described by the same quantum mechanical description , which is...
. Quantum computing pioneer Asher Peres
Asher Peres
Asher Peres was an Israeli physicist, considered a pioneer in quantum information theory. According to his autobiography, he was born in Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne in France, where his father, a Polish electrical engineer, had found work laying down power lines...
writes that the refutation of Herbert's ideas led to the development of the no-cloning theorem by William Wootters
William Wootters
William Kent Wootters is an American physicist, and a leading contributor to the field of quantum information theory. He proved the no cloning theorem in a joint paper with Wojciech H. Zurek. It was also independently discovered by Dennis Dieks. He has also worked on the quantification of...
, Wojciech Zurek
Wojciech H. Zurek
Wojciech Hubert Zurek is a well-known physicist and a Laboratory Fellow at Los Alamos National Laboratory. He is a leading authority on quantum theory, especially decoherence. His work also has a lot of potential benefit to the emerging field of quantum computing.Zurek earned his M.Sc. in Kraków,...
, and Dennis Dieks
Dennis Dieks
Dennis Dieks is a Dutch physicist and philosopher of physics. In 1982 he proved the no-cloning theorem . In 1989 he proposed a new interpretation of quantum mechanics, later known as a version of the modal interpretation of quantum mechanics...
.
Remote viewing
Given quantum theory's implications for the study of parapsychologyParapsychology
The term parapsychology was coined in or around 1889 by philosopher Max Dessoir, and originates from para meaning "alongside", and psychology. The term was adopted by J.B. Rhine in the 1930s as a replacement for the term psychical research...
and telepathy
Telepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
, the group cultivated patrons such as the Central Intelligence Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency, and human potential movement. The CIA and DIA set up a program called ESPionage, financing experiments into remote viewing
Remote viewing
Remote viewing is the practice of seeking impressions about a distant or unseen target using paranormal means, in particular, extra-sensory perception or "sensing with mind"...
at the Stanford Research Institute, where the Fundamental Physics Group became what Kaiser calls its house theorists.
Further reading
- "25th reunion of the Fundamental Physics Group", quantumtantra.com, accessed August 18, 2011.
- "Paranormal Science", The New York Times, November 6, 1974.
- "How the Hippies Saved Physics (Excerpt)", Scientific American, June 27, 2011.
- Johnson, George. "What Physics Owes the Counterculture", The New York Times, June 17, 2011.
- Wisnioski, Matthew. "Let's Be Fysiksists Again", Science, vol 332, issue 6037, 24 June, 2011, pp. 1504–1505.
Books
- Fritjof CapraFritjof CapraFritjof Capra is an Austrian-born American physicist. He is a founding director of the Center for Ecoliteracy in Berkeley, California, and is on the faculty of Schumacher College....
. The Tao of Physics: An Exploration of the Parallels Between Modern Physics and Eastern MysticismThe Tao of PhysicsThe Tao of Physics: An Exploration of the Parallels Between Modern Physics and Eastern Mysticism is a book by physicist Fritjof Capra, published in 1975 by Shambhala Publications of Berkeley, California. It was a bestseller in the United States, and has been published in 43 editions in 23 languages...
. Shambhala Publications, 1975. - Amit GoswamiAmit GoswamiAmit Goswami is a theoretical nuclear physicist and member of The University of Oregon Institute for Theoretical Physics since 1968, teaching physics for 32 years...
. The Self-Aware Universe. Tarcher, 1995. - Jack SarfattiJack SarfattiJack Sarfatti is an American theoretical physicist specializing in the relationship between quantum physics and consciousness...
. Space-Time and Beyond, with Fred Alan WolfFred Alan WolfFred Alan Wolf is an American theoretical physicist specializing in quantum physics and the relationship between physics and consciousness. He is a former physics professor at San Diego State University, and more recently has helped to popularize science on the Discovery Channel...
and Bob Toben, E. P. Dutton, 1975. - Evan Harris WalkerEvan Harris WalkerEvan Harris Walker , was an American physicist.Born in Franklin, Indiana, Harris received his Ph.D. in physics from the University of Maryland in 1964...
. The Physics of Consciousness: The Quantum Mind and the Meaning of Life. Da Capo Press, 2000. - Ken WilberKen WilberKenneth Earl Wilber II is an American author who has written about mysticism, philosophy, ecology, and developmental psychology. His work formulates what he calls Integral Theory. In 1998, he founded the Integral Institute, for teaching and applications of Integral theory.-Biography:Ken Wilber was...
(ed). Quantum Questions: Mystical Writings of the World's Great Physicists. Shambhala Publications, 2001 (first published 1984). - Gary ZukavGary ZukavGary Zukav is a spiritual teacher and author of four consecutive New York Times bestsellers. Beginning in 1998, Zukav appeared more than 30 times on The Oprah Winfrey Show to discuss transformation in human consciousness concepts presented in The Seat of the Soul.-Life Story:Gary Zukav was born in...
. The Dancing Wu Li MastersThe Dancing Wu Li MastersThe Dancing Wu Li Masters by Gary Zukav is a popular new age book from 1979 about mysticist interpretations of quantum physics.The toneless pinyin phrase Wu Li in the title is most accurately rendered 物理 in hanzi in the light of the book's subject matter, but appears to be somewhat of a pun as...
. HarperOne, 2001 (first published 1979).