When the observer becomes observed.
“What you do, influences the ‘other’. What others do, influences the ‘you’. This is karma, which cannot be escaped.” — Manoj Pun.
A riddle from metaphysics piqued my interest early. This is the falling chestnut problem. Would a falling chestnut make the sound even if no one is there to witness it?
It is easy to just say, “Yes, of course. That’s a stupid question”. But let’s not jump to conclusions this early.
There is an experiment conducted called The Double Slit Experiment, where the nature of the light was tested. Is it a particle or a wave? Watch this video to get an understanding.
Now that we have concluded light is a wave, this explains why we see different bands of light in the experiment. But What about atoms are they particles or waves? We sure think we are solid bodies, don’t we? And we are made of tiny things called atoms. Therefore atoms must be particles. But let’s look at a particle experiment of the same Double slits.
But how is this possible? How can an atom(protons, electrons & neutrons) suddenly change its nature from a wave to a particle just because it is being observed?
For this, we need to look at Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle. It states that the position and the velocity of an object cannot both be measured exactly, at the same time, even in theory. Here’s a video to help you understand.
So if a particle reaches the plank’s limit, it will increase its velocity to balance the equation. Therefore, we see multiple strips which prove atoms to behave as a wave.
Therefore when we observe atoms it seems to appear and disappear. Because we cannot perceive the position and the velocity of an atom at the same time.
At the end of the physical is made up of atoms vibrating at different frequencies. Is it a wave or a particle?
Now coming to the original discussion does a falling chestnut make a sound if no one is there to observe?
“No, it does not. But from which tree?”
This question can take a philosophical stance, Where we as an observer, observe ourselves and each other.
What is the proof that I exist? You.
What is the proof that you exit? I.
