Paintings of Terror

Chapter 259: Orthodox and Classical

Ke Xuns question suddenly plunged everyone into confusion. Trying to explain a supernatural event using scientific theories seemed incongruous, yet the question was profound and unsettling.

If supernatural forces truly existed in this world, then was there any significance in scientific research? Was it possible that, as some scientists had once feared, if everything in the universe were genuinely random, unpredictable, or beyond the scope of natural laws, then science became a completely futile endeavor? kjPcKM

People who pondered this couldnt help but shiver. Deng Lin clenched his teeth and said, No, although I cant explain everything Im witnessing, I still believe in science. Unexplained phenomena dont necessarily mean theyre beyond the realm of nature. It might be that our knowledge is simply insufficient. Our current knowledge is minuscule compared to the vastness of the universe. So, for things that are beyond our knowledge, they might be considered supernatural, but I believe that everything is part of the natural phenomena!

Zhu Haowen nodded and explained, Your perspective, in a way, is similar to Einsteins viewpoint. The core problem of the debate between the two factions in the physics community is right here.

The orthodox faction, the ones who support randomness, believes that physical quantities in the microscopic world inherently contain a certain degree of randomness and can not be accurately predicted. All measurement results are considered only probabilistic. The orthodox faction argues that if we cant predict even the quantum state of individual particles, how can we predict the macroscopic world?

For instance, this world contains many unpredictable events, like the outcome of a lottery draw, the winds speed and direction, tomorrows weather, and even the next roll of dice. Zzyv4k

Einstein, on the other hand, believed that these phenomena arent truly random, rather, its because of our current limited knowledge. We have not acquired enough knowledge to be able to predict these outcomes.

Take lottery draws for example, as if we know the forces acting on each point of a lottery ball during a draw and the airflows speed and distribution, we can predict the results of the lottery balls. Or if we grasp the movement of each air molecule, we can precisely determine the future weather.

So, according to Einstein, there isnt true randomness in the world. The idea of randomness results from our lack of knowledge and insufficient data.

And the reason these phenomena appear random now is that we dont have enough knowledge to grasp them and lack a sufficient amount of data to support them. Therefore, in Einsteins view, there is no true randomness in the world. The so-called randomness is merely a manifestation of insufficient knowledge caused by humans cognitive limitations. imx42

So, you mean, Shao Ling turned to Zhu Haowen, that what we have experienced might not necessarily be supernatural forces but rather another type of scientific phenomenon existing in this world, one that humanity has not yet understood, along with the knowledge related to it?

I dont think so, Zhu Haowen replied calmly. The mechanical determinism, which Einsteins idea represented, gave rise to fatalism in some peoples interpretations. Fatalists believe that, since Einstein claimed that everything in the universe, like machinery, follows certain rules and trajectories and the previous moment determines the next moment, it implies that the fate of every one of us has been predetermined. Everything is following a program scheduled in advance. Our life and death are also determined in advance. So, no matter how hard we try now, those who are destined to die will die? But I am not a fatalist. I dont believe in fate.

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