The Zen of Physics

          

             " I'm still not sure," I muttered.

            "Einstein’s 'God doesn’t play dice with the universe' questions the business of probability, is all," the ficus empathized.

            “ Hey, I know, I live by the  Heisingburg Principle. I think human just don't get how light be both a wave and a particle, because of bias," I opined. There was an almost audible sigh from the large plant as a slight breeze from the open window rustled a leaf.

            “The uncertainty principle is a lot like a zen koan: if a tree falls in the forest, and there’s no one there to hear it, does it make a sound? But Quantum Mechanics also asks,  If you are not in the woods, how do you know if a tree fell or not?"  it said.

            "Ah we do know because we see fallen trees." I assured it.           

            "All we see is the tree in a different state of being. We see the aftermath of a fall-maybe," It said, getting to the gist of it's argument.

            "We know trees fall because they are cut down and we see the results. Tree upright, now prone," I said impatiently. The plant practically trembled at the image.

            "-Of our actions, sure. But what if we don't see the cause? Then we are just guessing. What if the tree was always prone?" it prodded but I just shook my head. There it goes with the zen koan again.

            "We have no way of knowing but we still have to climb over it, cut it up or detour around to continue our journey with physics and reality, " I said, arching a brow.

            " You can't walk around in a perpetual state of imposition. The wave function's got to collapse some time," it pleaded in frustration.

            "Ok, this time the tree makes a sound, another time it doesn't. Both are valid," I replied.

            "Oh here we go again," it sighed. This conversation had been going in circles for days.

            "So how do we know what is real or not? Aren't we just making it all up as we go along? Why are we having this argument for God sake?" I said crossing my arms in irritation. Just then a nurse approached and touched me on the arm.

            “My aren’t we chatty, who are we talking to today?” she inquired as if speaking to a small child.  You are not part of this conversation I glared at her.

            "Benjamin,” I answered pointing to the slender tree amid the plants that filled a corner of the day room lined with tall barred windows.

            “Of course, but please lower your voice so you don’t disturb the others,” she gave me a condescending smile. The Lane County Mental Health Facility sure hires some naive people, I thought as I watched her fat ass waddle back to a desk and make a note in her daily report.

            "Because you can't convince your Cartesian minded ninwits of interspecies communication yet,"  Ben said sotto voce, as the other plants snickered in agreement.

physics