A conversation on the possibility of
parallel universes
Dr. Jimmy
Henderson
Recently a lot of ideas have been
discussed around Quantum mechanics. Some quantum researchers have even mentioned
the possibility of parallel universes. In other words, they believe that some
mathematical problems that have shown up in the study of quantum mathematics
can only be resolved if we accept the possibility that ‘mirror images’ of our
universe, including our own world and even duplicates of ourselves, exist on
higher levels.
As a cognitive scientist and
philosopher, I would like to comment on this idea, which is not acceptable to
me in its present form. I personally believe that what these mathematicians are
measuring are ‘universes of possibility’,
alternate paths through history which we could see as ‘potential worlds’.
However, if we accept that reality is actually of our own making, alternate realities or new possible worlds can only come to exist once
we as a species collectively make choices that lead us off on a tangent to the
path we are now following.
This situation can be likened to a
dream. We (subconsciously) choose what version of the dream we wish to see and are
therefore creators of the dream. In this way we would be the co-creators of a
new world and could be said to be ultimately capable of entering and engaging a
new ‘parallel universe’ in which we follow a different path and end up with a
totally different history.
In other words, parallel universes, which are alluded to by quantum
mathematicians, only exist in theory as potential
pathways. They have not yet been called into actual existence or ‘populated’
by anyone at all. A useful metaphor would be that of the cyber world, in which there
are many potential pathways in a computer program, but these pathways are not
active until the correct programming conditions are met. In other words,
mankind as a whole must decide to take an alternate path in order to activate
and populate a parallel universe.
A good example would be that of a
‘green’ world in which everyone, including the corporations and industries, care
for the environment and implement radical changes towards this ideal. However,
as can be seen in the world today, it would take a great deal of commitment and
hard work to bring about this shift.
So I am afraid that we will have to be
content with this world and this universe until we have progressed to the point
where we can choose a better, alternate, parallel universe.
