Quantum theology beyond copenhagen: taking fundamentalism literally

Journal article

Theological engagement with quantum physics has, to this day, been dominated by the Copenhagen interpretation. However, philosophers and physicists working in the “quantum foundations” field have largely abandoned the Copenhagen view on account of what is widely seen as its troublesome antirealism. Other metaphysical approaches have come to the fore instead, which often take a strongly realist flavor, such as de Broglie-Bohm, or Everett's “Many-Worlds” interpretation. In the spirit of recent quantum foundations work, this article introduces a collection of studies aimed at taking quantum theology “beyond Copenhagen.” The present article advocates a commitment to “quantum fundamentalism,” which could resolve some of the enduring ontological problems faced by existing theological work with quantum mechanics, especially in discussions of quantum special divine action. Taking quantum fundamentalism literally would mean a departure from the Copenhagen interpretation, and the article suggests the need for a new research program to lay the groundwork in the natural theology of quantum foundations.

Authors: Harris, M

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Wiley
• Journal: Zygon
• Volume: 58
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 183-202
• Publication date: 2023-02-16
• DOI: 10.1111/zygo.12869
• EISSN: 1467-9744
• ISSN: 0591-2385
• Language: English
• Keywords: FFR