Reflection in the Waves: The Interdividual Observer in a Quantum Mechanical World

243 Pages·2019·0.561 MB·English

by  Pablo Bandera

Refl ection in the Waves
Breakthroughs in Mimetic Theory
Edited by William A. Johnsen
Refl ection
in the Waves
The Interdividual Observer
in a Quantum Mechanical World
Pablo Bandera
Michigan State University Press
East Lansing
Copyright © 2019 by Pablo Bandera
i The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements
of ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992 (R 1997) (Permanence of Paper).
p
Michigan State University Press
East Lansing, Michigan 48823-5245
Printed and bound in the United States of America.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Bandera, Pablo, author.
Title: Refl ection in the waves : the interdividual observer in a quantum
mechanical world / Pablo Bandera.
Description: East Lansing : Michigan State University Press, [2019]
| Series: Breakthroughs in mimetic theory | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifi ers: LCCN 2018020112 | ISBN 9781611862829 (pbk. : alk. paper)
| ISBN 9781609175627 (pdf) | ISBN 9781628953299 (epub) | ISBN 9781628963298 (kindle)
Subjects: LCSH: Quantum theory—Philosophy.
Classifi cation: LCC QC174.12 .B35525 2019 | DDC 530.1201—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018020112
Cover and book design by Erin Kirk New
Composition by Charlie Sharp, Sharp Des!gns, East Lansing, Michigan
Cover art © Ali Mazraie Shadi. All rights reserved.
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Michigan State University Press is a member of the Green Press Initiative and is
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practices. For more information about the Green Press Initiative and the use of
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Visit Michigan State University Press at www.msupress.org
To my father,
without whom this book
would have been impossible.
To my wife,
without whom everything else
would be unthinkable.

Contents
Introduction · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ix
chapter 1. Th e Collapse of the Rational World · · · 1
chapter 2. Modern Observation through Medieval
Eyes· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 35
chapter 3. Th e Interdividual Observer · · · · · · · 57
chapter 4. People and Th ings Hiding in Plain
Sight · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 89
chapter 5. Th e Roots of Reality · · · · · · · · · 119
chapter 6. From Reality to Truth · · · · · · · · 147
chapter 7. Th e Imitation of Truth · · · · · · · · 177
epilogue. Science and Religion · · · · · · · · · 193
Notes · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 205
Index· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 217

Introduction
Th e subtitle of this monograph is intended to give two gen-
eral impressions: that it has something to do with modern
physics and something to do with René Girard’s theory of
mimetic desire. Th at these two subjects have anything to do
with each other is admittedly a strange claim to make, and I
should probably apologize for asking the reader to take his or
her fi rst step in this study over a potential stumbling block.
Th en again, readers of modern physics are used to odd con-
trasts and apparent contradictions, and readers of mimetic
theory are used to stumbling blocks. So it is precisely these
readers who should be most open to an underlying synergy
between the two fi elds of study, and it is this synergy that
I wish to explore.
Th e greater resistance will come, of course, from the
ix