Seeing Double: Shared Identities in Physics, Philosophy, and Literature

by Peter Pesic

The unknown history of surveillance in relation to changing systems of representation and visual arts practice. The separateness and connection of individuals is perhaps the central question of human What, exactly, is my individuality? To what degree is it unique? To what degree can it be shared, and how? To the many philosophical and literary speculations about these topics over time, modern science has added the curious twist of quantum theory, which requires that the elementary particles of which everything consists have no individuality at all. All aspects of chemistry depend on this lack of individuality, as do many branches of physics. From where, then, does our individuality come? In Seeing Double, Peter Pesic invites readers to explore this intriguing set of questions. He draws on literary and historical examples that open the mind (from Homer to Martin Guerre to Kafka), philosophical analyses that have helped to make our thinking and speech more precise, and scientific work that has enabled us to characterize the phenomena of nature. Though he does not try to be all-inclusive, Pesic presents a broad range of ideas, building toward a specific point of that the crux of modern quantum theory is its clash with our ordinary concept of individuality. This represents a departure from the usual understanding of quantum theory. Pesic argues that what is bizarre about quantum theory becomes more intelligible as we reconsider what we mean by individuality and identity in ordinary experience. In turn, quantum identity opens a new perspective on us.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction

184 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2002

Reviews

[Searnold · Rating 2 out of 5]

While one found the Carl Sagan-ish style of this book appealing, that is Pesic provided a sweeping overview of quantum physics that made the entire enterprise of quantum particles and quantum fields accessible, on the other hand, one found that this helpful strategy also set the stage to legitimize his vision of a perfected humankind. In one's view this vision is a snow covered dung heap. "Nothing", writes Stanley Cavell in the "Claim of Reason", "Is more human than wanting not to be human." This is Pesic's want: in a fabulous perversion of metonymy he claims that because the fundamental building blocks of the material world are made of identical quanta then it is only appropriate if not logical that humans model themselves upon these faceless quanta. What a great idea! Stalin, Moa and Pol Pot(along with a great many voters in the US) thought/think the same thing.

[Mark Valentine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this short book while browsing the library bookshelves and brought it home to read. At first, I was infatuated by its discussion of literature (Homer, Greek legends), but Pesic moved on to discuss Spinoza and Kant and seemed to lose his fire. I felt that he had not really presented his thesis well enough and was out on the free range, meandering. By the time he arrived at discussing physics, I was lost in spirit and skipped over some pages. The epilogue did not help; I mean, when a short book becomes a labor to read and then the author says in the final pages, 'See, I knew we would not answer any of our questions!' I lost it.

But I will try to be positive here: I liked the Theseus analogy of the sacrifice ship going to Delos each year. I can use that.