Seeing Double…or…Meandering with Schrodinger’s Cat

Schrodinger’s Cat is both alive and dead and exists in these two possible states…until the box is opened and you peer in. Once you look inside the box, the cat is either dead or alive, not both at the same time.

In terms of physics and philosophy, whilst our backs are turned and we’re not observing the universe, reality exists in different states but as soon as we look, we see only one state…the reality in front of us.

How to make a Physicist shiver? It is fairly simple: take Schrodinger’s cat for a walk amongst humans observing humans, not humans or their detectors detecting particles. This requires setting the cat free from its normal confines in the Physics department and watching it cross the University campus and climb through the open window of Sociology.

It is, as we all know, impossible to keep any cat anywhere, even when observing it. They are the personification of an independent mind in a cat-universe.

Not only independent travellers through space but time also:

Whilst Erwin Schrodinger, Werner Heisenberg (of the 1927 Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle), Albert Einstein, and other physicists were bending space and time, observing particles acting as waves and waves as particles, and Salvador Dali was painting Melting Clocks, the sociologists and theologians had been clearing their throats for some centuries, waiting for the rationalists to catch up and discard rationality as the chief source of determining reality.

In the parable of the talents (Matthew 24) Jesus tells a story of a businessman who had three servants, each of whom he gave considerable sums of money to continue trading and that he would collect the profit on his return. Two of the traders did as asked and were rewarded with greater responsibility within the boss’s business empire. The third, however, failed to obey or to accrue any profit so on the boss’s return the original sum of money was taken from him, and he was dismissed. So far, straightforward. But it is the internal psychology, or state of mind, of the third trader that is interesting.

‘𝗕𝗼𝘀𝘀, 𝗜 𝗸𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗮 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗻…𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗱…𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗶𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆’

He was afraid of failure, of losing the money. Afraid of the boss returning to find his pockets were empty, so he hid the money. At least then he could hand back the money with no losses.

His perception of reality, of the character of his boss, affected him deeply, creating panic and fear, and his fear paralysed him.

More interestingly, perhaps, the businessman does not challenge the man’s perception, he doesn’t appear to be defensive and protest that the man’s perception is inaccurate or a false accusation. Clearly, the successful traders had a very different perception of the boss’s character and had learnt perhaps that whilst he may have been ambitious and exacting, he, nevertheless, rewards handsomely and had no fear, were free to work hard and gain the reward.

The businessman’s estimation of his three employees was on the basis of their ability and work ethic, either hard-working or wicked and lazy.

Cats, whether we see them as the ultimate in laziness or hard-working when we’re not looking, are difficult to pin down.

In the telling parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15), which perhaps should be known as the parable of the two sons, it is the misconceptions of the father by the older son that is so shocking as much as the joy of the father in the outpouring of forgiveness, mercy, and grace towards the prodigal. The misconception of the older brother prevents him from entering into the father’s joy, just as the fear of the trader prevented him from entering his boss’s favour and blessing.

In the parable of the two sons the father pleads with his elder son (Luke 15) to see things differently, but the parable ends with these two perceptions of the father’s character unresolved.

In both parables, due to the powers of perception, we are left in a universe with double vision. Can both states be true at the same time? Until observed? Once observed only one state is true. So, depending on the observer, the boss or the father is either someone to be feared and disliked or generous and inviting and one who shares his own blessings.

How we see God tells us more about ourselves than it does about God. Some saw Jesus as a threat, others as a Saviour. What are your eyes telling you?

My eyes tell me that Schrodinger’s Cat is curled up on Jesus’ lap. Whether this is his final resting place, or he is still purring I shall leave to you.