Werner Heisenberg was a renowned German theoretical physicist and one of the pioneers of quantum theory. His work profoundly shaped our understanding of the world and its structure, starting from the tiniest building blocks of the universe.
In 1927, he introduced the now-famous uncertainty principle and was later awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his contributions. In simple terms, the principle states that there’s a fundamental limit to how precisely certain physical properties—like position and momentum—can be measured. The more accurately we try to measure one, the less we can know about the other. Heisenberg proved that this limitation is not due to the imperfections of our measuring instruments but is instead a fundamental property of nature itself.
Even more striking was the revelation that the act of measurement affects the object being measured. This marked a revolutionary departure from classical physics, where the world was seen as something that could be observed from the outside, without interference. In the quantum realm, such detached observation is no longer possible.
Another physicist grappling with similar ideas at the time was Erwin Schrödinger, who famously illustrated quantum indeterminacy through his thought experiment involving a cat in a sealed box. Until the box is opened, we cannot know whether the cat is alive or dead. Only the act of observation determines its state. Both Schrödinger's and Heisenberg's ideas share the groundbreaking notion that the observer and the observed are inherently intertwined.
Heisenberg, in fact, took a strong stance on the role of the external observer. Together with fellow Nobel laureate Niels Bohr, he developed what came to be known as the Copenhagen interpretation, which states:
-Before measurement, the observed system exists in a state of superposition, meaning it has no definite properties.
-The act of observation collapses the superposition and defines the state of the system.
-Therefore, the observer is just as important as the observed—reality only becomes defined when it is observed.
These ideas have since inspired countless philosophers and researchers to explore their broader implications. It's fascinating to allow oneself a little imaginative freedom and consider these ideas from a philosophical or even theological perspective.
At the heart of the matter lies this question: Do we need an external observer for anything to exist in a defined state? Without one, nothing can be said about the observed system—not even that it exists in a meaningful way. At least, that’s what quantum mechanics suggests.
Whether this observer must be a conscious, sentient entity is still up for debate. In the 1960s, Hungarian-American physicist Eugene Wigner proposed the thought experiment known as Wigner’s Friend, arguing in favor of a conscious observer being necessary for true measurement.
What Heisenberg ultimately proved is that in quantum mechanics—currently our best scientific model of how the universe works—an external observer plays a fundamental role. This observer is not just a passive witness but an active participant in defining reality. Without including the observer, we can say nothing meaningful about the observed system. And if Wigner’s theory is correct, this observer must also be conscious.
Which leads to a profoundly intriguing question: Does anything exist at all if it isn’t being observed? Or could it be that observation itself creates the reality it perceives?
Could it be, then, that a conscious observer outside the universe brought reality into being simply by observing it? Strangely enough, this might not be such a crazy idea after all.
P.S.
It’s fascinating to consider how dramatically our understanding of physics, the universe, and reality expanded in the early 20th century. That era gave rise to atomic technology, space travel, computers, and so much more. Even now, a century later, we’re still building on those foundational principles and continue to find growing physical evidence confirming the accuracy of those early theories and calculations.
There may never have been a more productive period in the history of science than 1900–1935.
It’s also worth noting that Nazi Germany dismissed these groundbreaking ideas as “Jewish science” and nonsense. As a result, Germany failed to develop the atomic bomb—despite the fact that many of the scientists capable of making it a reality were German.
Are we now living through a similar moment in history? Today’s radicals increasingly label science as “just opinion,” and elevate opinions to the level of scientific fact. It's a dangerous reversal—and one that reminds us how fragile progress can be.