Posted by caraher on March 16, 2005, at 17:17:03
In reply to Re: Go see this Marlee Matlin movie » partlycloudy, posted by fallsfall on November 10, 2004, at 21:24:07
> My friend liked how essentially hopeful the movie was: we can change whatever we want to, because (toss in a quantum physics drum roll here) it is what we perceive it to be, or at the very least is influenced by our perception.
>
> But I'm not quite ready to accept that yet. I still feel firmly planted in a world that has A (one) reality.I did not yet see this movie but as a physicist I cringe at these at best contentious claims about the implications of quantum mechanics, espcially when applied to the mind. Saying that, say, a photon does not have a well-definied polarization state before it is measured is a LONG way from saying the world is "whatever we perceive it to be." Quantum mechanics is fascinating and includes plenty of counterintuitive results, but its support of radical notions about the relationship between the mind and reality is at best metaphorical.
> They articulated pretty clearly how I think about God. I thought it was a little brazen to say that the organized religions of the world were blasphemous.
Bear in mind that this film was produced by a what I've seen described by many sources as a cult. Clearly they have a viewpoint to promote, and no doubt this is why they are pretty heavy-handed about other religions.
The link below contains a very negative review of the film with links to more information about the backers of the film and other issues.
http://www.math.columbia.edu/~woit/blog/archives/000083.html
I hope I don't come off sounding hostile about the film. If you got something of value out of it and enjoyed it that's great. I plan to see it myself and hope I enjoy the experience. I just think one needs to be careful not to take its scientific content without a healthy helping of sodium chloride.
poster:caraher
thread:406677
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20050316/msgs/471812.html