Day 1 - Chapman University
The Copenhagen Interpretation (CI) of quantum mechanics was first proposed by Niels Bohr in 1920 and mostly developed from 1925 to 1927 by Bohr and Werner Heisenberg. Other famous physicists contributed to it in one way or another, including Wolfgang Pauli, Max Born, Paul A. M. Dirac, Erwin Schrödinger, Pascual Jordan and others. It is one of the most commonly taught interpretations of quantum mechanics. According to CI, physical systems or objects do not generally have definite properties prior to measurements made to determine properties. As such, quantum mechanics can only predict the possible results of a given measurement, which causes the set of probabilities expressed by the wave function of the quantum system to reduce to only one set of possible outcomes, termed the state reduction or collapse of the wave function. There are several other interpretations of the meaning of quantum phenomena, including the Many Worlds Interpretation, the Pilot Wave Interpretation, and the Transactional Interpretation. Today, even though CI in a sense remains the gold standard of quantum mechanical interpretations, it is not by any means universally accepted and its implications are being debated by scientists, philosophers, writers, etc.
Day 2 - Loyola Marymount University
Consciousness is among the most difficult phenomena for scientists to study. Recent advances in physics and the reinterpretation of historic experiments have given us a new way to understand and ask questions about this vexing subject. In this gathering of experts, we bring together many different perspectives on consciousness and challenge our panelists to envision these new ways of knowing in the fields they study. We invite them to answer the question, "What are the implications of the new consciousness on biology, medicine, computing and even our relationships with non-human animals?" Come join us for an unforgettable salon on the nature of consciousness. The event is free and open to the public.