Human being can't look the future
1. Physics
(1) Quantum mechanics
Schrödinger's cat is a famous thought experiment among the people who love science.The paradox tell us the mystery about quantum mechanics.
The cat remains both alive and dead until we open the box.
How could we understand the superposition of quantum theory.
Albert Einstein said that God "is not playing at dice".
He was skeptical the randomness of quantum mechanics.
(2) Classical mechanics
We can calculate the motion of objects by classical mechanics.Scientists can predict various things using mathematics.
Newtonian mechanics is relying on absolute space and time.
But space and time is relative according to the theory of relativity.
If the objects are very heavy like the sun, or very fast like the light, we have to use the theory of relativity in order to calculate precisely.
The objects are not so heavy like the sun, or not so fast like the light, it's enough to use classical mechanics in order to calculate the motion of ordinary objects on the earth.
2. Future and prediction
(1) Time and future
Schrödinger's cat was a paradox which showed us the mystery of quantum mechanics.How could we understand and explain the superposition.
There are some explanations about it.
Recently I read a book, The order of time.
I was very impressed by the book.
Albert Einstein said that God "is not playing at dice".
I can't make sure that God is real, but I think it's sure that human being can't look the future.
(2) Science and prediction
Classical mechanics made it possible for us to calculate the relatively simple motion of objects on the earth.The theory of relativity made it possible for us to calculate the motion of various objects across the universe.
But there are many things which we can't calculate mathematically in real life.
Science and technology has developed so much, but there remain many things which we can't predict precisely.
For example, earthquake, the weather of tomorrow, stock price, and so on.
Particularly, the results of human being activities are very complicated.
The society is too complex for social scientists to predict the future.
It's the fate of social sciences.
I think that it's usually so hard for us to predict the future.
Classical mechanics made us believe that it was possible to predict the future, but it's often impossible.
3. Anthropic principle
(1) Consciousness of human being
Our body and spirit are also complex.For example, when I'm thinking what is today's dinner, can anyone predict it precisely?
The activity of our brain can be explained by neuroscience.
Can neuroscientists predict the today's dinner of me?
Maybe you think that I'm kidding.
But philosopher has thought and studied about determinism and free will from a long time ago.
(2) Perspective of human being
There are some opinions about the consciousness of human being.Some researchers are skeptical about the traditional definition of consciousness.
The brain isn't the dictator who orders all organs, tissues and cells to do something.
Human being is a system of a lot of organs, tissues and cells.
Human activity is networking and interaction of them each other.
Some reasearchers say that consciousness is illusion.
4. Present and probability
(1) Consciousness and time and space
Whether time and space are absolute (classical mechanics) or relative (the theory of relativity), it may be the subjective attempt for human being to describe the world.Human being is a kind of living things on the earth.
We can only observe the world through the eyes of ourselves.
Whether time and space are subjective or not, the traditional physics is correct and we can use it to estimate something.
But the mystery of them is perhaps the base of natural science which includes both physics and philosophy.
(2) Human being and dice
Great philosophers and scientists have made various hypotheses about the way to understand the world, the mystery of time and space from a long time ago.If time and space are subjective and the consciousness of human being is illusion, it's tautology to say that human being can't predict the future.
Maybe human being hasn't changed their way to recognize the world from a long time ago.
Probability and statistics are the most useful and irreplaceable tools for us to predict the future.
Maybe it will be impossible for human being to become God, so we can only roll the dice to predict the future.
- To read this article in Japanese