What is quantum?

The concept of quantum was first invented at the beginning of the twentieth century by German physicist Max Planck to explain the behavior of electromagnetic waves emitted by a black object. Quantum means there is a unit of the smallest energy for any given electromagnetic waves at a certain frequency. Prior to Planck's work people automatically assumed that it was possible to divide any object as small as we wish. The idea of quantum means that it is not possible to have as small a unit as we wish. It is like currency in hard coin. The smallest unit of American currency is one cent. We cannot produce a coin or a piece of paper money that is smaller than one cent. In nature there is a smallest unit for light, which is called photon. There is a smallest isolated unit of electric charge, which is that carried by an electron.

What is quantum theory?
Quantum theory is a theory that can explain the behavior of atoms and molecules completely.

Why is quantum theory relevant to us?
All bigger objects we see daily are made up of atoms and molecules. All small objects we study with accelerators and detectors are derived from atoms and molecules. Quantum theory can explain all objects, small and large. The validity of quantum theory has been proven in every experiment we can conceive. One experiment has been able to demonstrate the predictive power of quantum theory to one part per one hundred trillions. Our human body is made up of atoms and molecules. Therefore quantum theory is expected to explain human behaviors. If we want to understand ourselves, it is vital for us to understand quantum theory and how it applies to us.

Why is understanding quantum theory important to us?
The world is rapidly changing in front of our eyes.

Why is quantum theory portrayed as bizarre, difficult, and beyond the ability of common people to comprehend in the media?
It is true that quantum theory has many bizarre and difficult features. But it can also be understood in a much more straightforward manner. Especially the deep and qualitative features that are relevant to our life can be explained and learned.

Can you give some simple examples?
The most important feature of quantum theory is its probabilistic nature of how things evolve. It is not possible to predict absolutely that certain sequences of events will occur with 100% probability. We know from every event in our daily lives that nothing occurs with 100% certainty. We also know we could enhance the success of reaching some goal in our life, like getting a bachelor's degree of art, by our actions. According to quantum theory this is entirely feasible. In fact, from experiments in quantum physics in the past hundred years, we know we can enhance the probability of certain sequences of events to occur in three ways: changing physical boundary, forming bound state, and planning proper exchanges. We believe these three ways also are applicable to our daily life. We give many practical examples in our workshops and courses to show how this can be done. We like to be in charge of our destiny. Quantum theory provides a guideline to do that.

Why is it stated that our current world is a quantum world?
We call our world a quantum world to distinguish from a classical view of the world. In classical physics the most elementary object is a point-like object that has no volume, no area, no length and no structure. It has a coordinate in space and time. Its attribute is only its mass. In the last hundred years, we have found that the idea of an elementary object is not valid. Every object we study has structure and many attributes.

Can you say more about our quantum world?
Our quantum world, for convenience of study, can be separated into three parts: a multi-level universe, a multi-level human, and a multi-level human society. When we try to understand any object, one of the most comprehensive ways is to study its multi-level structure: first, its inner structure in terms of many inner levels, and then its outer structure in terms of many outer levels.

If quantum theory is universally applicable to all levels of structure, is there any principle that works in all levels of structure in any object, whether it is an inanimate object, a person, or a social organization?

Yes - this may sound incredible. But it is true that there are universal concepts that are fundamental to the study of any object, whether it is alive or not, simple or complex. Let me give you an example: The concept of symmetry is universally applicable. The idea of symmetry is not important in classical physics, but it becomes very important in quantum physics. We know that we have a left and right symmetric body. We have a left hand and a very similar right hand. We have a left eye and a very similar right eye. This left-right symmetry is part of space symmetry called parity. The concept of parity conservation and its violation play an important role in the development in particle physics. We believe that left-right symmetry also plays a very important role in health. In Chinese medicine, feeling the pulse in left hand and right hand is a method to detect the left and right symmetry and its violation inside the body. Symmetry decides the health of a person.