Article Monism vs monotheism: Quantum physics reveals the unity of the universe?

[C C]

https://iai.tv/articles/quantum-physics-..._auid=2020

EXCERPTS: . . . In Europe, the 6th century BCE Greek philosopher Heraclitus recapped monism in his fragment “from all things One and from One all things”, while his contemporary Parmenides describes “The One” as an indestructible, eternal, and timeless whole.

Around the same time the Pythagoreans, a close-knit group of mathematician-philosophers, taught that “the One is the principle of all things” and that “matter and all beings have come into being from it.” Many of these threads converged in the philosophy of Plato who is said to have taught monism as a secret, unwritten doctrine at his academy.

Later Neoplatonists such as the third-century-CE philosopher Plotinus who described “The One” as “all things in a transcendental way”, “the source of all things” or “Being’s generator”, became champions of monistic philosophy in the Roman empire. Everything but antipodal to science, it was a blend of Platonic and Pythagorean ideas with its decisive monistic flavor that inspired Copernicus and Kepler to search for harmonies in the cosmos, and Newton to devise his law of universal gravitation.

[...] But what happened in Europe that led this powerful philosophical tradition become all but forgotten? And why is it that we can expect a revival of monistic philosophy from modern science? At least one crucial factor for the extensive decline of monistic philosophy in Western Europe was the dominant and political role attained by monotheistic religions, chief among them Christianity.

[...] Christianity prevailed but inherited monistic ideas in their reincarnation as "pantheism" or "panentheism" where the universe was identified with God. ... But Christianity didn’t draw on monism alone.

“Manichaeism,” named after its Persian prophet Mani, advocates a worldview quite opposed to monism, claims that the world is caught in an epic struggle between good and evil. Through Manichaeism and similar philosophies, “dualistic” concepts such as angels and demons, God and devil, and heaven and hell received their prominent role among Christian beliefs.

[...] In the centuries after, politics will influence religion, religion will shape philosophy and philosophy will harm science. ... In monotheistic religions such as Christianity, God is understood as different from the world that he governs from the outside. In fact, if God was everywhere, no cast of priests would be required as an intermediary for the believer to get in contact.

As a consequence, monism became to be seen as a heresy. Wherever taken up and permitted, though, thinking of “The One” from now on becomes associated with a transcendent realm, with inwardness and escapism, mysticism, and esotericism.

[...] Enter quantum mechanics, the physics behind nuclear energy, computers, solar cells and MRI scanners. Quantum mechanics comes with two related processes that can both justify monistic philosophy and resolve its biggest problem. The first of these processes is known as entanglement, pointed out by Einstein and collaborators some 80 years ago and the topic of the 2022 physics Nobel prize. Entanglement describes how in quantum systems objects get so completely and entirely merged that it is not possible at all to say anything about the properties of their subsystems anymore.... (MORE - missing details)

[Magical Realist]

"The World Pantheist Movement’s basic orienting beliefs (known as Scientific Pantheism) are set out in the WPM belief statement.

This is not a creed in the religious sense. It is not something we recite, or that we are obliged to learn and accept every word of.

It is a guide to what the WPM is about, a notice on our door that says, if you like this, come in.

It is the set of beliefs that the WPM seeks to make widely available as a spiritual option to as many people as possible.

They are not so much beliefs as a set of feeling and values about what, thanks to science and our senses, we know to exist.

The central viewpoint is that the Universe and Nature should be regarded with the deepest reverence and wonder, and Nature should be treated with the deepest love and respect and care.

Similar views are shared by many people who use other terms, such as religious humanist, religious naturalist, religious atheist, and many other combinations. The WPM is a natural home for those who have this same orientation, whatever terms they use to call themselves.

Nature

When we say WE REVERE THE EARTH, we mean it with just as much commitment and reverence as believers speaking about their invisible god or gods.

But we are not talking about supernatural powers or beings.

We are saying this:

We are at home in Nature and in our bodies. This is where we belong. Nature made us and at our death we will be reabsorbed into Nature and recycled.

Nature is our mother, our home, our security, our peace, our past and our future.

We are part of Nature. Nature is an interdependent community of living beings, lands, oceans, winds. We should treat natural things and habitats as sacred – to be revered and preserved in their intricate and fragile beauty.

Earth is the only place where we can find and make our paradise, not some imaginary realm on the other side of the grave.
We are living at a critical time where Nature is under unprecedented threat from human-created global warning.

More than ever we need to be aware of our individual obligation to live sustainably with Nature, as well as to work in our families and communities so that everyone can do so.

The Universe

When we say WE REVERE THE UNIVERSE we are not talking about a supernatural being, because we do not believe in supernatural beings.
We are talking about the way our senses and our emotions force us to respond to the overwhelming mystery, power and beauty that surrounds us.

The Universe creates us, preserves us, destroys us. Our earth was created from the Universe and will one day be reabsorbed into the Universe.
The Universe is an interdependent collective of all that exists. We are part of the Universe. We are made of the same matter and energy as the Universe.

The Universe is deep and old beyond our ability to reach with our senses.
It is beautiful beyond our ability to describe in words.
Through science we have glimpses into the depth and complexity of the Universe, yet it retains its mystery.

This wonder is everywhere inside you and outside you and you can never be separated from it.
Wherever you are, it’s there with you.
Wherever you go, it goes with you.
Whatever happens to you, it remains with you."---- https://pantheism.net/beliefs/