Relativity tells us that spacetime is a 4D structure with no universal “now.” Einstein took this seriously. He believed that the flow of time is an illusion, and that we live in a block universe where past, present, and future all coexist within spacetime.
But quantum mechanics seems to treat time very differently. Wavefunctions evolve over time, and measurements occur at a particular moment—a privileged “now.” This seems at odds with the block universe picture.
Could paradoxes like the measurement problem, wavefunction collapse, or retrocausality arise from this tension?
What if wavefunctions were reinterpreted not as evolving objects, but as static 4D structures embedded in spacetime? Would the measurement problem still exist?
Of course, this is an ontological proposal, not a mathematical reformulation. It’s unclear how or whether it would influence the formalism. But I wonder if we’re missing something by insisting our math drive our metaphysics, instead of the other way around.
There are many existing proposals from philosophers and physicists working on the foundations of quantum theory. But as far as I can tell, none of them explicitly treat quantum systems as static 4D structures consistent with the block universe ontology.
I’m curious if others have seen attempts to reconcile QM and relativity by rethinking the role of time itself, and whether this ontological shift could eventually inform the math.
What Happens to Quantum Mechanics in a Block Universe?
Relativity tells us that spacetime is a 4D structure with no universal “now.” Einstein took this seriously. He believed that the flow of time is an illusion, and that we live in a block universe where past, present, and future all coexist within spacetime.
But quantum mechanics seems to treat time very differently. Wavefunctions evolve over time, and measurements occur at a particular moment—a privileged “now.” This seems at odds with the block universe picture.
Could paradoxes like the measurement problem, wavefunction collapse, or retrocausality arise from this tension?
What if wavefunctions were reinterpreted not as evolving objects, but as static 4D structures embedded in spacetime? Would the measurement problem still exist?
Of course, this is an ontological proposal, not a mathematical reformulation. It’s unclear how or whether it would influence the formalism. But I wonder if we’re missing something by insisting our math drive our metaphysics, instead of the other way around.
There are many existing proposals from philosophers and physicists working on the foundations of quantum theory. But as far as I can tell, none of them explicitly treat quantum systems as static 4D structures consistent with the block universe ontology.
I’m curious if others have seen attempts to reconcile QM and relativity by rethinking the role of time itself, and whether this ontological shift could eventually inform the math.