Cecil Moore wrote:
Tom Donaly wrote:

Cecil, get Feynman's _Lectures on Physics_ Volume I, and
read the entirety of Chapter 38, "The Relation of Wave and
Particle Viewpoints." Quantum mechanics is a very successful attempt,
using statistical methods, to explain the behavior of very small things.
In order to do that, it has to look at those things in very strange
ways. If you want to read about the philosophical underpinnings
you should read chapter 8 of _Quantum Theory_
by David Bohm (a Dover reprint).


Thanks Tom, I will do that as time permits.
Now consider this! When a quantum of energy, of any wavelength is
emitted from an atom or a nucleus then time and space ceases to exist
for that "wave packet" until it is absorbed again, or passes through a
medium where the velocity of light is less than c (glass for example, or
coaxial cable!!!). Since it is always travelling at c in "space" then
time ceases to pass for the quantum and/or the universe appears to be a
single point from the quantum's point of view.
A possible corrollary of this might perhaps be that there is only one
"real" quantum of a particular energy in the universe at a time!!!
This is pretty well where Relativity leaves Quantum Mechanics I reckon.
Now this may be philosophy but what is the answer that both quantum
mechanics and relativity have for this apparent absurdity?
If it perhaps not so absurd, perhaps this explains some of the results
of the famous single quantum slit experiment?
BTW surely FTL communication only destroys causality if the speed of
information is infinite. Just faster than light by say 1,000 times would
simply mean that it got there faster not before it was transmitted?
Cliff Wright ZL1BDA.