The Shift from Classical Thinking to Quantum Thinking

Self-Improvement
What if a single afternoon could completely change the way you see the world?
That may sound like one heck of an afternoon. But that’s all the time it takes for you to begin learning about quantum physics. And simply learning more about these theories has a profound effect on our ways of thinking.
But what is quantum thinking all about? How does it differ from classical thinking, and how is this new mode of thought going to transform the human race?
Keep reading to discover the answers!
What Is Quantum Thinking?
Our guide is going to cover some fairly complex topics in short order. But we need to start with the big question right away: what, exactly, is quantum thinking?
Here’s the good news: while the world of quantum physics can be very difficult to understand, becoming a quantum thinker is quite simple. In fact, this type of thinking is simply your ability to consider something (such as a problem you are facing) from all possible sides.
As definitions go, this is obviously very simplistic. But if you try to embrace this new kind of thinking, you might be surprised at how difficult it really is!
That’s because we don’t normally encounter problems in a vacuum. We bring our own past experiences, perspectives, and even prejudices to the table. And when we try to solve the problem, we try to do so by meeting a goal that offers us specific benefits.
To achieve this new way of thinking, you need to be able to openly and honestly consider opposing viewpoints. In fact, you need to be able to do this with multiple opposing viewpoints. And you won’t be able to accomplish this successfully until you understand duality.
The Role of Duality
In both the world of quantum physics and quantum thinking, you will hear people speak about the role of “duality.” But what is duality, and what does it have to do with changing how we think?
In quantum physics, duality refers specifically to the concept of wave-particle duality. Going back to one of the most influential scientists developing quantum physics, Niels Bohr, we have known that sometimes a quantum object may act like a particle and other times, it may act like a wave.
In other words, a quantum entity can exist in more than a single state. And that means these entities have much more potential than we originally thought!
Like relativity before it, the theories of quantum physics have affected the way we see and interact with the world, and we are still making major discoveries. And it has given us a new way to approach how we think.
How Does Quantum Thinking Differ From Classical Thinking?
So why was it so important to review what duality is all about? After that brief refresher, you are in a better position to understand the differences between classical thinking and quantum thinking.
In the Western world, classical thinking is usually filled with binary opposed pairs. We think in terms of “strong” vs “weak,” of “good” vs “evil,” and so on.
While this approach can be useful, it can also limit us in many ways. In our previous example of solving a problem, this kind of binary thinking often limits our ability to see matters from the perspective of others.
By shifting into the mode of quantum thinking, you can understand people on a much more fundamental level. And this is good for more than just solving problems: it can also transform you into a genuine empathy machine.
Quantum Empathy
What do you think the worst part about the internet is? For many of us, the answer is encountering so many people with so little empathy!
What causes empathy to break down so much when we interact with people online? Believe it or not, it all goes back to the binary thinking we described above.
Most online spaces (such as social media platforms) exist to link you with the content and content creators that share the same values that you do. On a basic level, this makes sense: when you are browsing something like TikTok or YouTube, you are going to react more positively to your favorite kinds of content.
But this same “feature” of online spaces also serves to make us more tribalistic. We spend time online around people that mostly reinforce our existing views. And when someone does encounter a different viewpoint, they are far less likely to entertain new ways of thinking because they have a small online army at their back validating the old ways of thinking. In another article on this site addressing implicit biases, we see how such biases are hand in hand with classical thinking!
And that brings us back to quantum thinking. Obviously, changing our ways of thinking is easier said than done, and this is a long and difficult journey for most people.
But once you make this type of thinking part of your daily life, your empathy will increase. This is because you will spend your days learning the different perspectives of countless other people rather than limiting yourself to your own perspective or the perspective of your “tribe.”
Applying Quantum To Capitalism
At first glance, you might think that this new way of thinking sounds like something out of a college philosophy course. And this may cause you to ask the obvious question: what does shifting away from classical thinking have to do with the “real world?”
The answer is simple: capitalism dominates almost every aspect of our lives. And many sales professionals and entrepreneurs are already using quantum thinking to change their approach to capitalism.
For example, imagine that you have a buyer and a seller. This is a tale as old as time: the seller must convince the buyer that his products and services are worth as much (if not more) than the money the buyer currently has.
This is very difficult if the seller doesn’t understand the buyer’s “pain points.” These are the things the buyer is worried about and potentially needs a solution for. And major companies spend a fortune on creating things like buyer personas so that sellers understand a bit more about their audiences.
With quantum thinking, a seller can more fully understand the needs, desires, hopes, and fears of a customer without needing a vast array of marketing resources. And any entrepreneur that can effortlessly determine what his audiences want or need is going to corner the market in his particular field.
How Quantum May Explain Human Consciousness
Quantum physics is already giving us an exciting new way to think. But what if it could explain one of the greatest mysteries in the world?
Scientists have spent decades trying to explain exactly what human consciousness is. And back in the 1990s, physicist Roger Penrose and anesthesiologist Stuart Hameroff theorized that quantum physics may give us the answer.
How does this work, exactly? Other scientists have built on the theory, claiming that the protein tubes within our brains are individual quantum devices. When they work together, it gives the average human being a certain level of quantum awareness (even if we are not aware of it).
But why would we need this quantum connection? According to some theories, consciousness may exist in a different realm entirely rather than inside our individual brains. And quantum entanglement allows our brain to transfer important information to and from this other realm.
Unfortunately, the human consciousness is as much of a mystery now as it was decades ago. But our increasing quantum knowledge puts us one step closer to finally understanding the human mind. And we may eventually be able to better understand the development of neurodivergent minds.
Is Quantum A Kind Of Religion?
Some of the research into quantum physics and quantum thinking has gotten surprisingly controversial. And that is because our increased understanding of quantum physics sometimes makes it seem more like religion than science.
Like religion, quantum mechanics has largely been up for interpretation from the very beginning. Things like the double-slit experiment help to prove the existence of quantum mechanics. But many scientists and other thinkers disagree with what this tells us about the nature of the world.
For example, the Ghirardi–Rimini–Weber theory helps us consider the relationship between matter and energy. Meanwhile, David Bohm’s pilot-wave theory helps reframe the uncertainty principle in mostly physical terms. And Hugh Everett theorized that we actually live in a multiverse where things like electrons can occupy multiple positions in multiple different worlds.
We typically think of science and religion as completely different things. But to some, quantum mechanics has replaced religion as an alternative explanation for how the world works, and it’s something all of us can access and understand regardless of disability. And like religion before it, even the biggest believers in quantum physics are still figuring out how to interpret what we know!
Several quantum researchers equate universal or cosmic consciousness to “God”. Many believe we play a participatory role in this consciousness and creating our reality. So in a sense we are all part of the same consciousness regardless of the differences we express in the classical world. That belief will have you rethink how you treat others. It may also open pathways to understanding one another and the universe.
This is an intriguing subject for all of us but it will be the young individuals in our society that will make the science come to life for all of us and I specifically am thinking of the young disabled individuals who read this. This is a difficult subject to master but the disabled are constantly facing difficulties everyday so I believe they may be the individuals who will make some of the greatest contributions to the quantum. We have only touched the surface of this fascinating subject and many exciting discoveries lie in wait for the quantum investigator. You can do this as a curious reader, a scientist, a student, a psychologist, or any profession. It promises to open our minds in ways we can’t even imagine. I plan to put some of the books that a layperson can read or listen to in this section shortly. We can add to it as we see fit.
Your New Way Of Thinking Begins Today
Now you know what quantum thinking is. But do you know how to truly change the way you think?
As promised, I am listing nine of my favorite books that cast light on the quantum and it role in consciousness. The small world of the quantum is mysterious and we have barely begun exploring the potential it offers us in our journeys as scientists and curious lay people. Just recently, scientists may have discover a new force of nature that may explain dark matter–we will see. Of course, these discoveries are happening at the atomic and subatomic level where quantum mechanics reigns.
All nine of these books are readable by lay people and will bring most up to speed about quantum mechanics at the lay person level. Actually these books are ordered in a manner that will gently introduce you to the terminology of the quantum world. There are a lot of terms and concepts and it is easy to forget them as you go along but after you read a number of the books they begin to get imbedded in your memory. Another nice feature of these books is that most if not all are available as audible and kindle books. You can always provide feedback as to books you would like to see included and I will put them on here. I expect many of you may know a bit more than myself on the subject so spit it out.