Project Overview
This interdisciplinary research project explores how quantum mechanics has shaped contemporary worldviews beyond the laboratory, giving rise to what we call "quantum religion." We investigate the implications of the widespread belief among physical scientists known as "quantum fundamentalism" - the conviction that nature is fundamentally quantum at all levels - and we examine how this conviction has spread into modern culture, philosophy, and spiritual practice.
Quantum mechanics underpins entire industries and provides insights across scientific disciplines, yet its cultural impact extends far beyond science. In popular culture, quantum concepts merge with philosophical idealism and spiritual traditions, appearing in bestselling books, holistic therapies, coaching practices, and lifestyle movements. Questions arise about the extent to which these movements have understood the science correctly - and scientists often condemn manifestations of quantum religion as pseudoscience - and yet the cultural impact of quantum mechanics is undeniable. We aim to address the quantum science on its own terms, and to investigate what it means for human beings in our universe, which is "quantum all the way up".
Approach
This project brings together physicists, theologians, philosophers, and social scientists to interpret quantum science in theological, ethical, and philosophical terms. We will disseminate our findings through scholarly publications and conferences while engaging broader publics beyond academia to explore the full breadth of human responses to quantum fundamentalism.
Significance
This research addresses fundamental questions about how scientific worldviews shape human self-understanding. By examining quantum religion as a cultural phenomenon, we aim to understand the theological, ethical, and existential implications of living in a quantum universe: questions that affect not only scholars and scientists, but the millions drawn to quantum-inspired spiritualities and, ultimately, all who inhabit our quantum world.
