When we wanted to observe the wave nature of electrons, we used a double-slit alchemy device to experiment, and we found that it had obvious wave characteristics — interference fringes. When we tried to observe the particle nature of electrons, we added a recorder near each of the two slits, and the interference fringes disappeared, and the pure particle nature was revealed …
Was this the truth of the world? What do we want, and what do we want? Observation changed the world?
Too many arcanists' heads were in a mess. It was even more confusing than analyzing the arcana meaning of weird spells. It involved their understanding of the world and themselves! They used to think that only with the help of magic could the unimaginable and illogical phenomena appear in the world. Little did they know that the bottom and foundation of the real world — the microscopic domain — was a place that was even weirder and more unbelievable than magic!
"Is this the reflection of the complementary principle in the wave-particle duality? The wave nature and the particle nature cannot appear together. When one is confirmed, the other will disappear instantly. So, the principle of uncertainty is shown? " Holding back his shock and excitement, Larry began to consider the arcana principles demonstrated by Lucien's double-slit experiment.
He warned himself that he must not associate the microscopic domain with the macroscopic world at this moment, or his cognition would be confused and contradicted with the real things in the material world. He would be at a loss and even self-contradictory.
"When the microscopic domain transitions to the macroscopic world, there must be other factors that cause the collapse of the wave function, the disappearance of the wave nature, and the confirmation of the particle nature …" Annick, Sprint, Dieppe, Timothy and the other arcanists kept reminding themselves, or their cognition would be shaken by Lucien's double-slit experiment!
Only by believing in such ideas could they accept the results of the experiments in the microscopic domain.
It was perhaps the most unbelievable domain in the history of arcana and magic!
Although the middle-rank and low-rank arcanists were still beginners in the microscopic domain and had not constructed their own cognitive world, the unimaginable results and inferences in the microscopic domain were contradictory with the common sense of the macroscopic world, and those common sense were the foundation of their outlook on life, their worldview and their values. Therefore, they were all confused and in pain, feeling helpless when their worldview was shocked.
"As expected of the Destroyer of Values …" Countless arcanists cursed in their minds.
After the great shock caused by the double-slit electron interference experiment gradually calmed down, Larry, Dieppe, Annick, Sprint, and the other outstanding arcanists in the microscopic domain were all rather excited. The experiment had given them a deeper understanding of the wave-particle duality and the complementarity of electrons. They were now full of passion for exploring the microscopic domain!
"I have a question." Suddenly, Oliver, whose face was slightly twisted, stepped forward. The dim light around was restored to normal. Just now, his cognitive world was almost shaken and hurt himself.
Lucien nodded slightly. "Ask away."
Larry and Dieppe looked at him curiously. "Do you have any questions, Mr. Oliver?"
Oliver gasped imperceptibly. "Observation changes the result … What is the specific definition of observation? This involves the transition from the microscopic domain to the macroscopic world. "
"By observation, I mean the observation of electrons through various means," Lucien replied calmly as he lowered his eyes, covering the emotions in his pupils.
Oliver had calmed down. With a smile on his lips, he said in a poetic tone, "The core is us? Then I have a thought experiment. I believe that you all know about the decay of atomic nuclei, right? "
Samantha, Rachel, Heidi and the rest of them nodded in silence. Elemental decay was one of the few major branches in the microscopic domain. The Lord of Storm and the Lord of Elements had just won the Evans Prize in Arcana with their research on it. Also, it represented a new direction of energy and a powerful destructive legendary spell. Therefore, every arcanist paid attention to it!
Oliver continued, "Assuming that there is a fifty percent chance that the atomic nucleus will decay, we can design such an experiment device …"
He described a delicate experiment design. When the atomic nucleus decayed and released neutrons, a series of reactions would be triggered and a glass bottle that contained a fatal curse would be broken in the end.
"If we put a poor cat in this experiment device, we can describe it in such a way that there is a fifty percent chance that the cat will be killed by the curse." When Oliver explained the experiment device, Annick and Sprint's faces immediately turned pale. They seemed to have thought of something terrible.
Dieppe, Larry, Jurisian and the other excellent arcanists in the microscopic domain couldn't help but shiver their hands. Their faces turned gloomy, because they had basically guessed what Mr. Oliver was trying to express! He was trying to connect the microscopic domain with the macroscopic world through a simple and delicate experiment device!
It was the question that they had been trying to avoid before!
Under the curious eyes of most arcanists, Oliver's voice slightly rose, "If we close this experiment device and do not observe it, then according to Lucien's interpretation, the atomic nucleus in the microscopic domain will show a quantum superposition state, in a mixed superposition of decay and non-decay. Such a magical state will not collapse into a definite result until we observe it."
"What I want to ask you is, what about the poor cat? Since it will die if it decays, and it will live if it doesn't decay, then the quantum superposition state of the atom equals the state it is in? Does it mean that it is in a quantum superposition state of life and death in the experiment device? "
"Is it possible?"
"Or will the observation of the cat cause the collapse of the wave function and make the result certain?"
The hearts of Larry, Dieppe and the rest of them constricted violently, and their faces turned pale. A superposition state of life and death? A 'magical' cat that was both alive and dead? No magic could create such a state! With a delicate and simple experiment, Mr. Oliver had magnified the weirdness of the microscopic domain to the macroscopic world!
It made it impossible for them to ignore the problem anymore. They had to face the huge contradiction between the microscopic domain and the macroscopic world, and they had to consider the riddles of transitions. If it weren't for the fact that it was a grand arcanist who proposed the experiment, Sprint would've said that he would strangle the cat to death so that there would be no contradiction!
Having agreed with Lucien's interpretation because of the double-slit experiment, they felt that their faces were burning as if somebody had slapped them hard.
Looking at Lucien who was silent on the podium, Oliver asked, "What state is the cat in exactly?"
Because of the Pathway of Immortality and the fact that Lucien had experienced state transitions, he was not averse to the concept of a quantum superposition state. However, what he did not understand was on what scale the quantum superposition state could be established. Was it only limited to the microscopic particles such as electrons, protons, and atoms? Or could it be extended to molecules, cells, regular creatures, and intelligent lives? Only by figuring out the boundary could he find the reason why the quantum superposition state disappeared and lay a theoretical foundation for the safe path to becoming a demigod!
Therefore, he was not satisfied with Lucien's rough explanation that observation caused the disappearance of the quantum superposition state. If the observation of human beings could cause the collapse, what about other intelligent lives? What about the regular cats without magic? What about the non-living matters? What about the molecules on a smaller scale?
After Oliver asked the question, everybody focused their eyes on Lucien, waiting for his answer.
Lucien still slightly lowered his eyes and said, "Yes, the cat is in a quantum superposition state of life and death."
"What?" Countless voices echoed at the same time. A superposition state of life and death? If a cat could be in such a state, what about a human being? Why had they never felt it?
The other grand arcanists listened to their conversation in silence. Oliver, on the other hand, asked in a low voice, "What about a human being? What if it was not the poor cat that was caged in the experiment device but a human being? Is he also in a quantum superposition state of life and death? "
"No, the wave function collapsed at this moment, and the result was determined. It was either life or death. There would not be a superposition state of life and death." Lucien replied quickly, as if he had thought about it beforehand.
Oliver stepped forward again. "Then, what's the difference between a human being and a cat? Why can the former's observation collapse the wave function and make the quantum superposition state disappear, but the latter can't? "
Lucien's lips slightly twitched, but he still said, "Consciousness. The participation of consciousness and the intelligent observer with consciousness can make the wave function collapse."
What?! All the arcanists were shocked. They did not expect Lucien's explanation at all. If a conscious and intelligent observer caused the disappearance of the quantum superposition state, many terrible facts would be inferred!
Fernando, who had been holding back for a long time, roared. The terrifying pressure was generated in the grand classroom. "So, before a conscious observer appeared, the whole world, the whole universe, was in the state of the wave function, in the state of the cloud of probabilities? Then, after a long wait, the first observer was born. Then, the universe and the world collapsed and showed what we are seeing right now? "
The universe had been spreading for billions of years just to wait for "your" affectionate look?
It was more than absurd! It was a lunatic's dream talk!
"Why can't it be like this? We can't understand the world before the first observer. What's the significance of the state it was in? "Lucien did not look at his teacher.
Douglas could not hold it anymore. He said seriously, "So, it means that there was a first observer, the most supreme observer in the beginning? Is that what you mean? "
Brook and Oliver were not the only ones who could not agree. Even Hellen and Hathaway, who were more willing to accept Lucien's explanation, shook their heads firmly after he proposed the observer's explanation.
Lucien suddenly raised his head and looked at all the arcanists. "Have you never thought about why there is supernatural power? Why there is magic? "
"Starting from consciousness and the observer effect, there may be a path."
His magnetic voice echoed in the grand classroom and hit the hearts of all the arcanists, including Douglas, Brook, and Fernando. Yes. What was the nature of magic? It was the question that the Congress had been searching for since it was established! It was a question that was bound to arise when human beings witnessed all kinds of supernatural phenomena! Unless human beings stopped thinking and lived their lives in ignorance like cats and dogs!
The more they knew the truth of the world, the more confused the arcanists were about the question. The relationship between the two was similar to Lucien's uncertainty principle, because there seemed to be no place for magic in the law that was close to the truth of the world!
Consciousness, intelligent thinking, the observer effect … Maybe it was the path of explanation?
Looking at his teacher on the podium, Annick struggled in his heart. His teacher was so graceful, so majestic, so magnificent, and so correct that people couldn't help but believe his words and follow his footsteps. He was the most authoritative master in the microscopic domain and the macroscopic cosmos!
In his mind, his teacher was as magnificent as a mountain. He was someone that he looked up to for the rest of his life, an idol that he could never catch up with even if he tried his best.
But … But why would his teacher propose such an explanation for the transition from the microscopic domain to the macroscopic world, namely the collapse of the wave function?
Was he wrong?
Was it his past experience and his imagination that deceived him?
Turning around, he saw the confusion on the faces of Heidi, Katrina, and the other students, as well as Sprint's twisted face that was clenching his teeth.
In the weird silence, Lucien's deep and mellow voice echoed again, "The first observer is not necessarily supernatural. It may be like us."
"As for the supreme observer, or the god who throws the dice, that Mr. President is worried about, we don't have to bother about it."
"Think back to the experiment just now. My observation led to the change of the properties of electrons. If I can accomplish such an observation, every one of you can do it too!"
"The god who throws the dice does exist, but he is not outside. Instead, he is in the heart of every one of us. Every one of us is our own supreme god!"
Douglas, Fernando, Atlant, and the rest of them looked at Lucien in shock. Other people were shocked by his words too. The class fell into extreme silence for a moment.
Suddenly, someone in the auditorium stood up, just like the grand arcanists and archmages who came later.
"Annick?" Lucien looked at the man who stood up.
"Master …" Annick's throat was muffled for a moment, but he finally said weakly but firmly,
"I don't think your explanation is correct."
After that, he did not move his eyes away shyly or lower his head as he always did. Instead, he looked at Lucien in the eyes firmly.
"Master, I also think that your explanation is wrong." At this moment, Sprint, who was tall and slender, stood up abruptly. Under the shocked eyes of Heidi, Katrina, Layria, Larry, Dieppe, and the rest of them, he raised his chin stubbornly and said loudly.
His hands were clenched into fists.
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