2025.04.07

Questions about Creation and the Future ~ Dialogue between Science and Religion

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Science and religion – these are two realms that have seemingly different qualities and do not intersect. Science, which aims to search for objective facts, and religion, which focuses on the inner world and spirituality of human beings. That approach looks very different. But what would we think if a religion that had been handed down for a long time already contained insights that rivaled or surpassed the cutting-edge realms of modern science?

Science pursues truth based on reproducible experiments and objective evidence, while religion is based on faith, intuition, and wisdom gained through generations of experience.

If these two seemingly incompatible objects intersect in the realm of profound phenomena that are surprisingly difficult to understand, pointing to a common truth, what message does it convey to us?

Article Contents

Introduction ~ The intersection of science and religion

Introduction ~ The intersection of science and religion

This time, we will focus on the cutting-edge field of quantum mechanics, which has revolutionized physics since the 20th century. This field describes the behavior of the "microscopic world" such as atoms and elementary particles, and exhibits strange and counterintuitive properties that are very different from the physical laws of the macroscopic world that we experience on a daily basis.

For example, theories derived from phenomena such as "quantum entanglement" and "superposition" completely overturn our common sense understanding and have a peculiarity that cannot be grasped by conventional language systems.

Superposition, in which particles do not have a specific position or state, and multiple possibilities can exist at the same time, and quantum entanglement, in which particles that are far apart instantly affect each other, are phenomena that are unthinkable in the common sense of classical physics.

Buddhism, on the other hand, has been passing down unique ideas such as "auspiciousness" and "emptiness" for more than 2,500 years. "Enki" is the idea that all beings are made up of interdependence with other beings, and that nothing exists independently

And "emptiness" suggests that any phenomenon or being does not have a fixed essence. It has been pointed out that these teachings resonate on a surprisingly deep level with the worldview of quantum mechanics, which holds that individual elements are intertwined with each other and have no independent substance.

Chapter 1 ~ Giants of Science Who Challenged the Mysteries of Quantum Mechanics

The peculiarity of quantum mechanics was such that even its founders were puzzled. "If you think you understand quantum mechanics, that's proof that you don't," said Nobel Laureate in Physics Richard Feynman. This phrase sums up the fundamental incomprehensibility of quantum mechanics. Quantum mechanics, which began with Max Planck's proposal of the quantum hypothesis, Einstein's optical quantum hypothesis, and Niels Bohr's construction of atomic models, has fascinated and at the same time deeply troubled many genius physicists.

1-1. Controversy between Einstein and the Bohr-Probabilistic Interpretation

Albert Einstein challenged the probabilistic interpretation of quantum mechanics throughout his life, leaving behind the famous saying, "God does not roll dice." He believed that behind quantum behavior there were deterministic laws that we did not yet understand. On the other hand, Niels Bohr advocated the "Copenhagen Interpretation," which states that quantum states can only be determined by observation, and engaged in a fierce debate with Einstein.

In response to this difficult problem, which he called the "observation problem," Bohr argued that in the quantum world, the observer and the observed object are inseparable, and that the very act of observation shapes reality. As a result of numerous thought experiments and experimental tests, Bohr's way of thinking gained a lot of support, and Einstein's classical realist position was rejected as a result.

1-2. Inspiration from Bohr's Taiji and Eastern Philosophy

Interestingly, the Boer family crest uses a "taiji diagram" in which yin and yang embrace each other in a circle. It is derived from the ancient Chinese idea of Yi, which expresses the concept of two opposing elements being interdependent and creating harmony.

It is quite possible that Bohr was inspired by the ideas of Eastern philosophy in order to grasp the essence of quantum mechanics. In understanding the duality and complementarity at the heart of quantum mechanics, such as the wave and particle properties of particles in the microscopic world, or the interaction between the observer and the object of observation, the idea symbolized by the taiji diagram may have given Bohr an important suggestion.

Chapter 2 ~ The Amazing Reality of Quantum Mechanics

The concepts of "quantum entanglement" and "superposition," which form the core of quantum mechanics, are very different from our everyday senses and intuition. These phenomena show that the reality of the microscopic world has a fundamentally mysterious nature, completely different from the laws of the macroscopic world to which we are accustomed.

2-1. Quantum entanglement and instantaneous connections

"Quantum entanglement" is a phenomenon in which two or more particles become deeply connected to each other through their formation process and interaction. This strange bond is never lost, no matter how far apart the particles are from each other. When the state of one particle is measured, at that moment, the state of the other particle is also determined. It is as if information is transmitted beyond the limitation of even the speed of light. This phenomenon is known for what Einstein called "eerie remote effects."

For example, suppose that Person A in Fukuoka and Person B in Hokkaido are in a state of quantum entanglement. From a quantum mechanical point of view, the sexes of A and B are not determined until they are observed. However, as a result of observing Person A, it is confirmed that Person A is a man, and at the same time, it is confirmed that Person B is a woman. It's as if the two particles are communicating telepathically. It is important to note that this instantaneous correlation cannot be explained by classical physics.

2-2. Superposition and coexistence of multiple possibilities

"Superposition" is the principle that a quantum system can have multiple different states at the same time. The most famous example is the thought experiment put forward by Erwin Schrödinger, "Schrödinger's Cat".

Suppose that in the box you put a device and a cat in which poisonous gases are released with a 50% probability. Until the box is opened and observed, it is considered that the cat exists in a superimposed state of "alive" and "dead". Through the act of observation, this superposition state collapses, and the life or death of the cat is determined.

This thought experiment illustrates concepts that are difficult to comprehend in everyday senses. In our macroscopic world, an object always has a single definite state. However, in the microscopic quantum world, there are multiple possibilities at the same time, and observation makes one of them a reality.

Chapter 3 ~ Buddhist "Luck" and Quantum Mechanics: Surprising Resonances

The idea of "auspiciousness," which forms the basis of Buddhism, is the idea that all events and beings do not exist by their own internal forces, but arise in relation to various other factors and conditions. This shows a worldview in which individual beings do not exist in isolation, but are interdependent.

This idea of interdependence is surprisingly consistent with the interactions and relationships in the microscopic world revealed by quantum mechanics. The instantaneous correlation between distant particles, as seen in quantum entanglement, evokes the deep invisible connection suggested by the idea of "luck."

3-1. The Idea of "Emptiness" and Quantum Uncertainty

In addition, "emptiness," an important concept in Buddhist philosophy, means that any phenomenon or being has no fixed essence or substance. This can be interpreted аналогия as the property that the state of a particle in quantum mechanics is not determined until it is observed and can only be described probabilistically. According to the Chukan philosophy preached by Nagarjuna, all beings are empty and have no fixed self. It can be said that this resonates deeply with the intrinsic uncertainty of particles and the idea that their state changes with observation, which is shown by quantum mechanics.

Chapter 4 ~ Does Consciousness Create the Universe?

Some interpretations of quantum mechanics suggest that the observer's consciousness may influence the state of reality. John Wheeler, one of the leading physicists of the 20th century, said, "The observer is not just a bystander of the universe, but a participant in the creation of the universe." This phrase suggests that our consciousness may not only be aware of an objectively existing reality, but also play an active role in shaping that reality.

4-1. Harmony with Buddhism's "Pure Mind-Making"

This way of thinking is surprisingly consistent with the ancient Buddhist teaching of "all phenomena are created by the mind."

Buddhism teaches that the state of our minds has a great influence on our perception and experience of reality. Emotions such as happiness and unhappiness are also thought to be influenced more by how we perceive and interpret them than by the objective event itself.

It can be said that the quantum mechanical perspective and the Buddhist perspective are deeply connected in that consciousness plays an important role in the creation of reality, even though they take different approaches.

Conclusion ~ New horizons opened up by dialogue between science and religion

Science and religion have long been seen as opposites, but the strange coincidence of the teachings of quantum mechanics and Buddhism offers us a new perspective on how we understand the world. Each discipline may have reached a surprising crossroads as they followed different paths but toward a common goal of searching for fundamental truths.

This fact raises new questions for each of us about the significance of human existence and happiness. "Our consciousness creates the future."

If so, doesn't that mean the immense potential and responsibility that has been given to us?

In this mysterious reality, how should we utilize our consciousness and what kind of future should we create? The dialogue between science and religion will provide us with a profound insight into this question.

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