MAHESH YOGI ON ' CONSCIOUSNESS '

 

Quantum physicists are beginning to suspect that consciousness, as much as physics, is the fundamental basis of the universe. How does this connect with the statement by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi that the universe is structured in consciousness?

The idea that consciousness was fundamental to quantum theory was based on how the theory was formulated. This is the basis of the so-called measurement problem. There seems to be no rigourous way to cut the observer out of the measurement loop. This aspect of the theory is tested with the Wigner's friend paradox.

In 1991, John Bell wrote an article about the measurement problem in Physics World, titled, against measurement. In the article, Bell refers to the language used to construct the theory. In particular, he discusses why the concept of measurement is not purely physical, and thus should not appear in a physical theory.

Moreover, he refers to certain specific interpretations and modifications of the theory that avoid the measurement problem. In other words, there are ways of formulating the theory that do not rely on a conscious observer.

This has been formalised in the local friendliness (LF) theorem, which includes the possibility of observer-subjective facts. The LF theorem lists three conditions that cannot be all satisfied in any theory that describes reality. The bottom line is that one can always formulate a consistent theory that successfully describes reality without recourse to a conscious observer.

In other words, quite the opposite is true to what is asserted by the question. Consciousness is finally seen as not necessary for quantum theory. This is the predominant view among academics at this time.