decision trees

I’ve been reading a book about quantum physics that I picked up from the Kindle store discount rack last week, and in a chapter on the concept of quantum immortality I traced a parallel thread back to my own experiences in mapping out my path through the murk.

The theory goes something like this: given the theory of infinite multiverses basking in the quantum foam bubbling away below the surface of our perceived reality, uncertainty speculates that for every potential alternative reality that exists a universe also exists where that alternative plays out. Realistically this plays out at the infinitesimally small quantum level of electrons and photons, but electrons and photons have ways of interacting with biological or neural tissues in a manner that sometimes causes alternative realities to play out in our decision making or health. This has huge philosophical implications for free will and mortality, and the concept of quantum immortality plays out along the line of thought that if the universe happens to branch along a path where in one universe we survive and in the other we do not, our consciousness will forever and always track the one where we survive, obviously. The result is that from our own point of view, our consciousness will hang onto a path through the multiverse that is most likely to result in our personal survival, an optimal path for the longest possible life, and thus a kind of “from my point of view” I’ll live a very long time, but only from my point of view. Other players may exist in other long divergent universe threads where I’m long gone. Weird, huh?

The rabbit hole goes really deep on this one if you start pondering the implications for what this means for any individual personally. Like, the old adage “everything happens for a reason” starts to take on new meaning when you put it in the context of our personal perception of the multiverse and contort it around the notion that our personal consciousness is tracing the optimal route for us personally through the foam.

Again, weird, huh?

It got me thinking about decisions and other things, and bordering on some new age hooey-type thoughts about how things work out around larger decisions. Specifically, I’ve made some lists and plans around this career break and life events seems to be manifesting in a way that not only did I kind need this time off, but this time off has become something immensely useful and well timed in the grand scheme of my life. Is that confirmation bias, or am I adrift in the quantum foam and following an optimal path to ensure the personal longevity of my own consciousness.

Weird, huh?