Retrocausality (Reverse Causality): Today Effects the Past

Birth, Live, Die = Here and Now - Past, Present and Future = Now

The notion of causality has long been associated with the concept of an arrow of time: the effect of an event can only be felt after the event, that is, a cause precedes its effect. In a retrorocket situation, the effects of an event are felt before the event.

The implication hinges upon the idea of “retro-causality,” also called “backward causation” or “backward causality.” Advanced physics experiments might suggest that observations made in the present exist in a kind of causal loop with the past. That is, how we look at things at Time B has an effect on a previous Time A, which then flows back into Time B.

Such are the perils of retrocausality, the idea that the present can affect the past, and the future can affect the present. Strange as it sounds, retrocausality is perfectly permissible within the known laws of nature. It has been debated for decades, mostly in the realm of philosophy and quantum physics.

Quantum Physics: No Obvious Common-Sense

Richard Feynman, famously noted that a positron behaves exactly like an electron traveling backwards in time. Others have expanded on his observation with very interesting results. Perhaps these particles even go back in time all the way to the big bang, to affect the fundamental nature of our universe.

In quantum mechanics, an advanced wave, which propagates backward in time, has been usually ignored, as they were considered to be unphysical. Nevertheless, in the sciences of life, advanced waves may permit to answer some of the major mysteries and paradoxes.

Retrocausality has also been proposed as a mechanism to explain purported (pseudoscientific?) effects. Most notably, parapsychologist Helmut Schmidt presented quantum mechanical justifications for retrocausality, eventually claiming that experiments had demonstrated the ability to manipulate radioactive decay through retrocausal psychokinesis.

Open topics in physics, especially involving the reconciliation of gravity with quantum physics, suggest that retrocausality may be possible under certain circumstances. Closed timelike curves, in which the world line of an object returns to its origin, arise from some exact solutions to the Einstein field equation. Although closed timelike curves do not appear to exist under normal conditions, extreme environments of space-time, such as a traversable wormhole or the region near certain cosmic strings, may allow their formation, implying a theoretical possibility of retrocausality. (see above geometric shape that curves in on itself)

Quantum Mechanics Explains the Membranes Holding Universe Together

· Macro Cosmology (Quantum Mechanic Laws)

· Standard Model (Newton Laws) - Suspect Quantum Mechanics here too…

· Nano (Quantum Physics Laws)

The exotic matter or topological defects required for the creation of those environments have not been observed. In addition to the conventional interpretation of quantum mechanics in terms of states that evolve forwards in time in accord with strong, or strict, causality, the formalism of quantum mechanics also permits an interpretation in terms of retro-evolving states. The formula for calculating probabilities of measurement outcomes in the latter interpretation is mathematically equivalent to that used in the conventional interpretation. Consequently the retro-evolving state interpretation does not change any of the results of experiments predicted by the conventional interpretation, even though the associated retrocausality violates some of the notions of strong causality.

Related Science Topics of Interest:

http://hubpages.com/hub/Microwave-Hyper-Quanta-Faster-Than-Light

http://hubpages.com/hub/Macroverse-VS-Microverse

http://hubpages.com/hub/The-Concept-of-the-Mind-Directing-Energy-in-Physics-Zero-Point-Energy-Field

http://hubpages.com/hub/What-are-Fractals-Why-Important

http://hubpages.com/hub/Retrocausality-Reverse-Causality-Today-Effects-the-Past