Psychology all the way down

Interesting paper by physicist Ulrich Morhroff:

Psychology all the way down

Quantum mechanics, the fundamental theoretical framework of contemporary physics, supports the following claim: by entering into spatial relations with itself, Brahman creates both space (the totality of existing spatial relations) and matter (the corresponding apparent multitude of relata). The psychological processes by which Brahman enters into spatial relations with itself are discussed by taking a tour of a descending series of supraphysical worlds. [Presented at the International Conference on Indian Psychology, Yoga, and Consciousness, Pondicherry,December 10–13, 2004.]

Given an infinite and omnipotent quality and delight as the creative principle, there can be many differently constituted worlds—many ways of expressing and experiencing this quality and delight in self-relations. The physical world is one among many, yet it is special. In the physical world, sachchidānanda is playing Houdini (Higbee, 1996), imprisoning and enchaining itself as completely as divinely possible, challenging itself to escape, to re-discover itself, to realize its powers against formidable odds, in what appears to be a huge inert inconscient mass governed by mechanical forces and random events, but what is really the foundation of greatest stability and concreteness for a progressive self-realization that may go on for ever (Sri Aurobindo, 1987, pp. 410–1). The range of possible achievements offered to us by this story is infinite.

The quantum world is built from the top down. What ultimately exists is a single substance. Both matter and space come into being when this enters into spatial relations with itself, for physical space is the totality of existing spatial relations, while matter is the corresponding apparent multitude of relata—apparent because the relations are self-relations. This is about the simplest creation story that can be told, and it is a straightforward consequence of our fundamental theory of matter. If quantum mechanics supports a spiritual world view, this is how. Note that the red herring, according to which the consciousness of the observer plays an essential role, throws up a smokescreen that makes it impossible to perceive the real ontological implications of the quantum theory. The moral here is that one mustn’t try to incorporate a scientific theory into a spiritual world view prematurely, before the implications of that theory are properly understood. In the words of the German poet Schiller:

Enmity be between you! Too soon it is for alliance.
Search along separate paths, for that is how truth comes to light.

In what follows I want to look into the process by which brahman enters into spatial relations with itself and thereby creates both matter and space. Since the substance of the world is a conscious substance, and the force that acts in it a conscious force, this will be essentially a subjective or psychological process. This process is part of a larger story, which takes us on a tour of a descending series of supraphysical worlds.