From: ericf@central.co.nz (Eric Flesch)
Subject: Move Galaxies with your Eyes !
Date: 1996/08/25
Message-ID: <321fa0e7.18105061@news.nn.iconz.co.nz>#1/1
organization: Internet Company of New Zealand
newsgroups: sci.physics



Quantum Mechanics teaches us that, in John Wheeler's words, "No
elementary phenomenon is a phenomenon until it is a registered
(observed) phenomenon".  A notable example of this is light, which can
be polarized, conditional that the polarization is not realized until
the photon impacts somewhere.

Wheeler's delayed-choice experiment shows us that, as Wheeler says,
"we decide what the photon *shall have done* after it has *already*
done it.  He extends the delayed-choice experiment to light from a
distant quasar being lensed around an interposed galaxy.  Wheeler
comments that we can, in principle, diffract photons from this quasar
so that the arriving photons *will have travelled* around both sides
of the interposed galaxy.  Therefore, the photon *will have done* what
we select -- if we look at it with our eyes, it will have come from
just one side of the galaxy, but if we diffract it, it will have
travelled on both sides.

Today's GR practitioners claim that the photon gravitates, that is,
tugs at suns.  Therefore, since we can, at the whim of the moment,
decide whether some of the above quasar's photons have travelled on
both sides of the interposed galaxy, or on one side only, we can
therefore differentially apply gravitational forces *retroactively* to
the interposed galaxy.  Pull on galaxies with your eyes!  Travel
backwards in time and move galaxies!

What poppycock!  QM is pretty well established.  The problem with the
above scenario is easily resolved if physicists realize that the rule
that "no elementary phenomenon is a phenomenon until it is a
registered (observed) phenomenon" means that forces cannot be applied
by non-registered phenomena.  This means photons-in-flight do not
gravitate, nor are they events as defined by the Minkowski metric.

If a photon isn't there until it impinges, then it certainly will not
be gravitating in mid-flight either.  Physicists have been trying to
eat their cake and have it too, for too long.  GR was fashioned by
Einstein, who was a "reality" physicist who never accepted the
Copenhagen interpretation.  The GR concept of photons which gravitate
is incompatible with the QM view of photons which are undefinable
until they impinge.  And yet today's physicists profess belief in
both.  

You can't do it, guys.  Time to choose.  Throw your hat in the ring of
your choice.  And as you know, you can't fight QM.

Eric