Eternalism, in the context of philosophy of time, is the view that past, present, and future all exist equally and are equally real. It suggests that time is a dimension in which all events are equally real, and the flow of time is illusory.
Quantum physics, on the other hand, is a scientific theory that describes the behavior of matter and energy at the quantum level. It involves concepts such as superposition, entanglement, and wave-particle duality, which have been experimentally verified and are highly successful in explaining various phenomena.
The compatibility of eternalism with quantum physics is a subject of debate among philosophers and physicists. Some argue that eternalism aligns well with certain interpretations of quantum mechanics, while others find tension between the two.
One interpretation of quantum mechanics, known as the many-worlds interpretation (MWI), can be seen as compatible with eternalism. According to MWI, every quantum event leads to the branching of the universe into multiple parallel worlds, each representing a different outcome of the event. From an eternalist perspective, this interpretation suggests that all these branches coexist simultaneously and are equally real.
On the other hand, some physicists and philosophers argue that certain aspects of quantum mechanics, such as the wave function collapse during measurement, pose challenges to eternalism. The collapse of the wave function seems to single out a particular measurement outcome as the actualized reality, which appears to be in tension with the idea that all possibilities are equally real.
It's important to note that eternalism and interpretations of quantum mechanics are areas of active philosophical and scientific inquiry, and there is no consensus on their compatibility. The nature of time and the foundational principles of quantum mechanics are complex and still not fully understood. Thus, the relationship between eternalism and quantum physics remains a subject of ongoing investigation and discussion.