It depends who you ask. But when you look closely at the fundamental nature of reality, there are some surprising overlaps between science and spirituality.
Look inside your body and you find cells. The cells are made of molecules, like lipids, proteins, enzymes, DNA, etc. And each of these are made of atoms. Then the atoms are made of protons, neutrons and electrons.
It doesn’t stop there. Protons and neutrons are made of quarks that are held together by gluons. A proton contains two “up quarks” and one “down quark,” while a neutron contains two “down quarks” and one “up quark.”
In terms of particles, that’s as far as it goes – quarks, gluons, and electrons are considered fundamental. But the word ‘particle’ conjures up the idea of a point-like substance; something solid like a grain of sand or salt. But in Quantum Field Theory (QFT), a particle is an ‘excitation in a field’.
An Excitation in a Quantum Field
What we measure as a particle is an excitation: an electron is an excitation in the electron field, a quark is an excitation in the quark field, and so on. These fields are quantum fields.
A quantum field is like a space that’s filled with energy. An excitation is a fluctuation or vibration moving through it.
Think of 2-D sheet pulled tight. Then you flick one end and a ripple moves across the sheet. That wave is an excitation of the sheet. An excitation of a quantum field is the same idea, but in 3-D.
The Spiritual Parallel
So what does this have to do with God? (or the Universe, infinite unbounded field of consciousness… whichever label you prefer)
Everything that exists is made of particles. And these particles are excitations of quantum fields.
So according to Quantum Field Theory, everything that exists is an expression of quantum fields – a ripple in them, not something separate from them.
In spiritual traditions, everything that exists is an expression of God, a ripple within the whole – so is part of God, not separate from God. That’s the parallel between God and quantum physics.
Does Quantum Field Theory Explain God?
But – and there is a but – we can’t use this to say that quantum physics explains God, because Quantum Field Theory is a physical theory. It refers to physical fields and physical particles. With God, we’re talking about consciousness.
But we can take the parallel a little further if we are clear about some assumptions we need to make.
With Quantum Field Theory as a physical theory, we’re resting on the assumption that consciousness is produced by neurons in the brain. In philosophy, this theory is known as physicalism. And I say theory, because despite the fact it’s typically talked about as a fact, there are over 300 theories of consciousness and physicalism is only one of these.
Physicalism works for all practical purposes, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s correct.
The Illusion of “For All Practical Purposes”
Take gravity, for instance. Most people think of gravity as a force. We’re taught this in high school. But gravity is a consequence of the curvature of spacetime. It’s much easier to think of it as a force.
An often-used analogy for gravity is to think of a heavy object sitting on a trampoline. If you place a marble at the edge, it will roll down towards the heavy object. But is it rolling down because the heavy object is pulling on it with a force? No. It’s moving due to the stretched fabric of the trampoline.
The reason you land back on the ground whenever you jump up isn’t because gravity is a force pulling you back down. You’re sliding towards the centre of the earth on stretched spacetime. It just so happens the surface of the Earth is solid and stops you sliding all the way down.
Gravity as a force works for all practical purposes, but it’s not correct. Similarly, physicalism works for all practical purposes, but it could also be wrong.
What if Consciousness Comes First?
Let’s just suppose for a moment that it is wrong and that one of the philosophies that imagine consciousness as primary are correct – like idealism, panpsychism, or dual-aspect monism, for example. I’m not saying these are true, simply that if we were to make such an assumption, let’s see where it could take us.
Rather than the structure being:
Quantum fields -> particles -> atoms -> molecules -> cells (including neurons) -> consciousness
It becomes:
Consciousness -> Quantum fields -> particles -> atoms -> molecules -> cells (including neurons)
Rather than consciousness at the end, it’s at the beginning.
If this were to be true then consciousness is more fundamental than quantum fields, which leads to the conclusion that consciousness gives rise to excitations in the those fields. Given that everything that exists – according to Quantum Field Theory – is an expression of quantum fields, this means that everything that exists is an expression of consciousness and is part of consciousness.
This sounds a lot more like traditional spiritual views.
Of course, no one knows whether matter or consciousness is fundamental and there is much debate on all sides.
I don’t intend to wade into the debate all that much, but only to suggest that if we do run with an assumption that consciousness is primary, then we can confidently say that quantum physics and God do actually have a lot in common.
Want to learn more about similar topics? Check out my online course on ‘Why Woo-Woo Works’.
Interesting ponderings, David. It’s curious that the study fo physics leads to God. Similarly, I’m the studying psychotherapy and consciousness and it’s interesting the thoughts of scholars in this field leading back to God too.
Hi Liana – yes, it’s been a curiosity among some physicists for over a hundred years, since the early days of quantum physics, about what the theory could sometimes seem to suggest about the world.
Thanks David – absolutely fascinating. I have an audio book on Spotify called ‘The Not Yet God’ by Ilio Delio – she’s a religious sister but also a scientist. In the book she refers to Teilhard de Chardin, Carl Jung and the relational whole. What you’ve written helps me understand what she’s saying in the book!
I’m pleased it’s been helpful to you, Helen. That sounds like an interesting audiobook.
Hi David. I’m very interested in this area of thought and would like to understand more!
My interest was first piqued almost 50 years ago with the book “God and the New Physics” by the Australian physicist Andrew Davies. Much later I discovered the video “The Primacy of Consciousness” by Peter Russell.
I look forward to the next installment!
There are a lot of concepts here that I need to get my head around by re- reading your article several time, David. It goes further than what I took in at your first Woo Woo course. I’ve often wondered why some scientists have turned out to be quite ‘religious’, ie a faith in God having studied the physical world in detail. I guess it’s the same as learning, sometimes the more one digs the more questions the process opens than it answers. I did not realise that there are many (or infinite) quantum fields out there. Does that mean we all have our own Quantum field and consciousness within it that we disappear into when listing to your downloadable QF audio visualisation?
You state “ we can’t use this to say that quantum physics explains God, because Quantum Field Theory is a physical theory. It refers to physical fields and physical particles. With God, we’re talking about consciousness.
I wonder, do they have to be mutually exclusive or can God be both?
Fascinating! Yes, please continue the rhe thread.
I recently read “A New Science of Heaven” by Robert Temple (2023), and although much of the science was above my head, his description of the newly discovered plasma fields surrounding our planet and their inherent intelligence begs further investigation and discussion (i.e. how does quantum physics interpret plasma?). After reading this book I’m convinced that spirituality and quantum physics are not mutually exclusive and would love to read any and all of your insights on this exploration.
I’m not a scientist David, I’m a musician but I LOVE reading your stuff. I don’t always understand it at one deep level (scientific) but on the other deep level (God) it resonates with me profoundly.
Thank you for your courage and vulnerability to stick your neck out in this world where so many are desperately seeking answers that they need to be able to see and touch.
I have loved your work for years. If I could direct more people to you, they would move maybe from their supposed concrete floor to their beautiful, wise, “woo woo” camp (waiting for them) full of all their answers if they would only listen and trust.
Thank you x
Thanks, I really enjoyed reading that. I find quantum physics so interesting but I know I wouldn’t be able to understand most books on it.
As always, absolutely fascinating David! I do believe that God can be all things, so yes it resonates with me too.
Hello David
This topic totally resonates and yes please…continue the thread.
Having recently done quite a bit of reading on NDEs (Near Death Experiences), notably ‘Dying to be Me’ by Anita Moorjani, ‘After’ by Bruce Greyson M.D. (who has studied the field for over 45 years) and of course ‘Proof of Heaven’ by Eben Alexander M.D., the explanation that conscioussness is created by neurone in the human brain, physicalism, falls completely flat on its face. Dr Eben Alexander explains this beautifully as a neurosurgeon and with the lived experience of his NDE. He says that the brain during a coma like he experienced was “kaputt”, medically not functioning and should have had no experience…and yet he did. And so have thousands of others whose brain was medically non responsive and therefore supposedly not functioning. In his second book ‘Living in a Mindful Universe’ this neurosurgeon (after another decade of studying the topic) goes further and says, that he believes that the brain works as a funnel to shut out our consciousness awareness, and with that all knowing, simply so we can function in this human body in this world. He also says that while he too thought that the human mind creates consciousness before his near death experience, he now realises that there “isn’t a shred of evidence of that” and yet, it is what is taught at medical schools, “maybe” he says “because we have a vague understanding that it can’t have been created in our toes”.
It makes me think of savants and people with these special mind blowing skills and capacities, who often don’t function so well with their ever day lives. Maybe there funnel of shutting out the ‘all knowing’ isn’t working as intended and therefor they can connect to these super human skills, and yet it makes life in this body in this realm harder for them?
With much appreciation for your work
Tanja
As far as I know one of the greatest physicists of our time, Albert Einstein, was extremely spiritually minded, wasn’t he ? Especially towards the end of his life, I believe.
I’m a Reiki Master, so I’ve given many treatments to clients ( with very fascinating results ), as well as having taught it to many wonderful, curious students of all ages ( one was a physicist ! ). I also am a Therapeutic Touch practitioner ( I think of it as a younger version of Reiki . It is more accepted by the allopathic community, too, because it was developed by an RN )
But I’ve recently learned that the scientists at the MD Anderson Cancer Clinic in Houston, Tx have been seeing great results on cancer cells through energy healing ( which they’ve named Biofield Therapy ). I LOVE Integrated Medicine ( first learned about it in 2001, when I was studying Lomi Lomi on the Big Island of Hawaii, where it was being used a lot ).
I also once gave a holistic treatment to a Canadian-Korean Anesthesiologist who told me his dad practiced Traditional Korean Medicine as well as Western Medicine. He also told me I had the most healing hands he’d ever experienced . WOW ….phenomenal compliment .