Quantum Theory and Free Will 1st ed. 2017 Edition

Quantum physicist Henry P. Stapp worked with two of the most famous twentieth-century quantum physicists—Werner Heisenberg and Wolfgang Pauli. After many decades of study, experience, and writing in this field, Stapp has published this book on the relationship between free will and quantum mechanics: Quantum Theory and Free Will: How Mental Intentions Translate into Bodily Actions (Cham, SZ: Springer, 2017).The numbers contained in parentheses in the present review refer to the page numbers of Stapp’s book. When I do not cite particular pages, the review summarizes statements frequently made by the author throughout the book.Stapp sets forth his foundational argument on page 5 of the book: “The thesis expounded in this book is that von Neumann’s orthodox formulation of quantum mechanics, elucidated where needed by the ideas of Heisenberg, Dirac, Wheeler, and the mathematician, logician, and philosopher Alfred North Whitehead, and updated to the relativistic form developed by Tomonaga and Schwinger, can be regarded as a theory of reality that is sufficiently detailed and accurate to deal with the issues of the general nature of our mental aspects, and of the causal connection of our conscious minds to the material world in which our brains and bodies are embedded.”Stapp distinguishes between the classical physics of Newton, Laplace, and most other scientists and philosophers during the last few centuries, on the one hand, and the quantum physics discovered and elaborated in the twentieth century, on the other. The conventional wisdom is that quantum mechanics is confined to microscopic phenomena and that the “laws” of classical physics govern all macroscopic events, including the physical operations of the brain. From this premise, most scientists and philosophers even today deny that quantum mechanics has anything to do with the brain. Rather, they assert, the brain operates by materialistic cause and effect in the manner of classical physics. Thus, the argument goes, every brain event is predetermined by physical causation from the beginning of time. Consciousness and free will, in this view, are merely illusory and “epiphenomenal” (noncausal).In contrast, Stapp argues that “[t]he quantum resuscitation of the causal power of our thoughts overturns the absurd classical notion that nature has endowed us with conscious minds whose only power and function is to delude us into believing that it is helping us to create a future that advances our felt values, while in actuality that future was predetermined 15 billion years ago” (26-27).Stapp totally rejects the common view that quantum mechanics is limited to microscopic events. This incorrect premise “has been the source of a widespread pernicious belief that quantum mechanics has little or nothing to do with the big questions of the basic nature of the world, and of ourselves. That belief inspires the related notion that the consideration of quantum effects can be relegated to specialists who are interested in the atomic minutiae, while thinkers concerned with the big human issues can pursue their thinking (apart from the intrusion of the quantum elements of random chance) within the simpler framework of classical physics, which excludes our minds from the causal dynamics. But, according to quantum mechanics, the inclusion of the effects of our mental intentions upon the *macroscopic* behavior of our brains and bodies is absolutely essential to a correct understanding of the dynamical role of our human minds in workings of nature, and hence to a valid self image” (73-74 [underlining in the original indicated by **]; see also 13, 35-36, 59-60, 65-66).Without going into the details of Stapp's analysis in the present review, his basic idea is that the brain is constantly projecting—pursuant to quantum principles—alternative possibilities. The “ego” (self, observer) chooses one of these possibilities, and nature then responds either affirmatively or negatively. If nature’s answer is affirmative, that possibility is actualized by a collapse of the wave function and the elimination from the brain’s history of the roads not taken. This understanding is, of course, incompatible with the notion of classical mechanics and determinism that no alternative possibilities exist. Stapp's argument for free will rests on the premise that alternative possibilities are, on the basis of quantum theory and the biological mechanism of ion channels in the brain (13), an ontological reality.I do not have sufficient expertise in physics and mathematics to evaluate the technical details of Stapp’s account of quantum mechanics, but his general argument in support of free will and his deconstruction of scientific predeterminism are revolutionary and significant. I must conclude with the caveat that the ultimate proof of his theory depends, according to Stapp himself, on mathematical proofs that are beyond my ken.

I buy a couple of books a month here, but this is the first time I have ever rated or reviewed one. And its because this writing is so fantastic. Although the material was occasionally over my head, Stapp is so straightforward and clear that he still left me with an intuitive understanding of his explanations. He contrasts classical, materialistic physics with orthodox quantum mechanics and shows why the later is so much more effective and coherent in accounting for the facts."Quantum mechanics thereby provides a rational science-based escape from the philosophical, metaphysical, moral, and explanatory dead ends that are the rational consequences of the prevailing entrenched and stoutly defended in practice—although known to be basically false in principle—classical materialistic conception of the world and our place within it."Stapp makes it clear that although materialism is ideologically driven, quantum mechanics almost never lent itself to presuppositions. For example, he says that in the beginning, Heisenberg and his colleagues were so baffled by the results that they did not try to use them to challenge the prevailing materialistic worldview. Instead, they simply identified a series of principles and guidelines which would guide them in their experimentation. Only years later did they realize that their conclusions demanded a paradigm shift in physics.“The strangle-hold of materialism was broken simply by the need to accommodate the empirical data of atomic physics, but the ontological ramifications went far deeper, into the issue of our own human nature and the power of our thoughts to influence our psycho-physical future."By contrast, he says the persistent insistence upon a materialistic worldview shows a reckless disregard for the evidence."Given this recognized major importance of the mind-brain problem, you might think that the most up-to-date, powerful, and appropriate scientific theories would be brought to bear upon it. But just the opposite is true! Most neuro-scientific studies of this problem are based on the precepts of nineteenth century classical physics, which are known to be fundamentally false. Most neuroscientists follow the recommendation of DNA co-discoverer Francis Crick, and steadfastly pursue what philosopher of science Sir Karl Popper called 'Promissory Materialism'."He shows that quantum mechanics points not simply to an immaterial mind, but to an immaterial mind that has a free will--in the purest, most profound sense of the word free. This book is so good, so clear, so unbiased and straightforward in putting a century of science into perspective.

I bought the book to read what a notable quantum physicist has to say on philosophical implications of quantum mechanics (QM). The position that Stapp defends is not common among the hard scientists these days: he believes that a certain interpretation of QM -- based on von Neumann’s canonic exposition and insights of Heisenberg, Dirac and Bohr -- demonstrates that materialism and determinism are both false and that we have a free will. In the process, Stapp criticises the adherence of social sciences to an outdated Newtonian physics and, in particular, accuses mainstream psychologists and neuroscientists of mistakenly thinking that QM applies only to the domain of subatomic phenomena. His arguments are quite convoluted, don’t cut very deep and are not very persuasive.Let me mention the main reason for reducing two stars. It has to do with the quality of the hardcover edition: the editing is really poor quality. Springer is a large and serious publishing house and must do better especially given the prices it charges for the books. Quotes are in a small font and then, in quite a few places, the regular author’s narrative continues in the same small font, without any paragraph break as if it is a direct continuation of the quote, sometimes for half a page (for example on page 2). In the text, there are many references to scientific articles that are key to Stapp’s arguments, but the articles do not appear in the bibliography (for example Jarrett on p.50, Schooler on p.40 and there are many more instances of that). In many cases direct quotations are given without title and page references (p.32, von Neumann’s quote).The book is composed of 13 short chapters on 80 pages and 7 appendices that run for another 60 pages. There is a huge amount of repetitions and the overall feeling is that the book was hastily and sloppily copy pasted from many sources. Stapp’s heavy and inelegant writing style is not contributing to enjoyable reading experience. And, to top it off, there is no subject or name index. Can’t recommend buying this book.

Bit of a stretch. Bandwagon effect.