Introduction
Are we immortal? This question has fascinated humanity for centuries, with religious, philosophical, and scientific perspectives attempting to provide answers. While traditional views of immortality revolve around spirituality or biological longevity, quantum mechanics offers a radically different perspective—one rooted in the idea of multiple universes. The theory of quantum suicide and immortality, based on the many-worlds interpretation, suggests that we might continue to survive in alternate realities, even in situations where death seems inevitable. But does this truly mean we are immortal? Let’s explore the science and philosophy behind this concept.
Quantum Mechanics and the Observer Effect
Quantum mechanics reveals that at the subatomic level, particles exist in multiple states simultaneously, a phenomenon known as superposition. However, once observed, they collapse into a single state. This is famously illustrated by Schrödinger’s cat thought experiment, in which a cat inside a box with a 50% chance of being killed by a radioactive mechanism is considered both dead and alive until an observer opens the box.
The Copenhagen interpretation
The Copenhagen interpretation suggests that observation forces the quantum system to choose a specific state. . Imagine a dice, before you roll it, it’s in superposition of six outcomes. But after you roll it and see the outcome yourself, the dice is in that particular state. Before that it was in superposition of multiple possibilities. When we observe the outcome, the act causes the dice to “collapse” into one particular state.
Many worlds interpretation of Tegmark
In contrast, the many-worlds interpretation, proposed by physicist Hugh Everett and further explored by Max Tegmark, states that all possible outcomes occur but in separate, parallel universes. According to this view, when an observer measures a quantum particle, the universe splits into multiple realities where each possibility plays out independently. For example, a cat is in a closed box with a mechanism that has 50% chance of killing it. When we open the box, the universe splits into two universes. In one it dies, in the other, it lives. When we roll a dice the universe splits into 6 universes to accommodate all possible outcomes. We only observe one outcome while other versions of us see different results.
But what does that have to do with the “are we immortal” question?
The Quantum Suicide Thought Experiment
The concept of quantum suicide builds upon the many-worlds interpretation. Imagine an individual setting up an experiment where a machine, triggered by quantum randomness, has a 50% chance of killing them. Each time they activate the machine, the universe splits: in one universe, they die, while in the other, they survive. From a third-person perspective, the person dies half the time. However, from their own point of view, they only experience the branches where they survive, effectively making them immortal within their own perception.
This concept extends to all low-probability survival scenarios. For example, if someone is involved in a severe accident with a 0.0001% chance of survival, the many-worlds interpretation suggests that they will always find themselves in the rare reality where they live. This leads to the idea of quantum immortality—where one’s consciousness never encounters death but instead shifts to a surviving universe every time. So, are we immortal?
Criticism of the Quantum Suicide Argument
A major critique of quantum suicide is the paradox it creates. If survival is always ensured, then logically, death should never be a possibility. However, we observe death around us all the time, which contradicts the idea that consciousness always continues in some reality. If we continue to live no matter what, there should be no possibility of death anyway. What happens to the person experimenting with the machine that has 50% chance of killing him? He will live no matter what. For the experimenter, he will survive each attempt. We get 100% probability of him surviving. What we don’t get, is a universe where he is dying.
Philosopher and physicist David Lewis argues that personal identity does not necessarily transfer smoothly between alternate universes. Moreover, the assumption that consciousness can shift between realities is speculative and lacks empirical proof. Critics also point out that if quantum immortality were real, individuals should observe a series of increasingly improbable survival scenarios, yet we do not see this in practice.
Charles Sebens’ Interpretation: The Delayed Death Theory
One counterpoint to quantum immortality is Charles Sebens’ interpretation, which argues that death in doomed branches is not instantaneous. When the universe splits, there may be a delay before death occurs in some versions of reality. Thus, an individual might briefly exist in multiple universes before ultimately experiencing death in most of them. This interpretation suggests that while survival may occur in rare cases, death is still a real experience for the majority of possible outcomes.
Does Quantum Suicide Guarantee Immortality?
The key question remains: Are we immortal? The answer depends on how we define immortality. If immortality means living indefinitely without biological limits, then quantum mechanics does not provide a clear pathway to such a state. Even if we survive accidents due to probability shifts in parallel universes, there are still absolute limits, such as aging and total bodily destruction.
Aging is an inevitable process governed by biological degradation. Cells accumulate mutations, organs deteriorate, and bodily functions ultimately cease. Unlike an accident, which has a nonzero probability of survival, aging leads to a 100% certainty of death. The many-worlds interpretation cannot create new branches where one simply stops aging unless unknown physics intervenes. Similarly, scenarios such as falling into a black hole, where survival is impossible in all realities, would still lead to an unavoidable end.
What Quantum Suicide Actually Suggests
Rather than guaranteeing true immortality, the theory of quantum suicide implies that we might experience highly improbable survival in some extreme cases. However, it does not prevent death entirely. The theory also relies on the assumption that consciousness continues in surviving branches, an idea that remains speculative.
Furthermore, it is important to remember that the many-worlds interpretation itself is not a confirmed fact but one of several competing theories in quantum mechanics. While it provides an interesting perspective on reality, it is still debated within the scientific community. Some physicists support it as a viable explanation for quantum phenomena, while others find it too speculative or untestable.
Conclusion
So, are we immortal? Quantum suicide and the many-worlds interpretation suggest that in certain scenarios, an individual might continue experiencing survival through quantum branching. However, this does not equate to true immortality. Aging, biological decay, and absolute death scenarios remain insurmountable obstacles. Additionally, the theory itself is unproven and remains a topic of debate among physicists.
Ultimately, while quantum mechanics opens fascinating discussions about reality and consciousness, it does not provide a definitive answer to the question of immortality. Whether through scientific discovery or philosophical reflection, the pursuit of understanding our existence continues.
Sources:
https://www.thecollector.com/quantum-immortality-can-people-become-immortal