Ruth E. Kastner‘s journey into the depths of quantum theory was sparked by childhood wonder and a fascination with light. In her pursuit of understanding the mysteries of the universe, she developed the Transactional Interpretation of quantum mechanics, shedding light on the enigmatic nature of reality beyond our sensory perceptions. Learn more in her exclusive MysticMag interview below.
Who is Ruth Kastner? What is your story and what was your professional journey like?
My entry point into the study of physics was my fascination with light. Both my parents were scientists (my mother, a retired math education professor, is still living). My father was a solar physicist. One of my fondest early memories is of my parents showing us how a prism ‘breaks up’ white light into a beautiful rainbow of colors. From that moment on I was hooked on this idea of ‘hidden beauty’, i.e., that our seemingly mundane world of appearance can reveal amazing wonders when looked at in the ‘right way’.
As I pursued graduate studies in physics, I discovered some of the strange quantum effects, such as entanglement and nonlocality, and from that point on I decided to pursue the study of these issues using philosophical tools, which allow us to theorize about what quantum theory might be suggesting to us about reality.
What role does quantum theory play in your work and in our lives?
Well, my professional research area is to interpret quantum theory–this is, to theorize about what the theory may be suggesting about our reality at a level beyond the typical viewpoint of our macroscopic experience. It is well known that the theory presents challenges to our usual assumptions about what the world is like and the way things work. The world of appearance is well-described by classical physics, which has been around for several centuries. But it turns out that to successfully predict the behaviors of very subtle and tiny systems, classical physics does not work and we need a different kind of theory–quantum theory. Quantum theory suggests that at a fundamental level, there is a connectedness and holism that we don’t see at the level of appearance. There is also a kind of ‘uncertainty’ about properties that challenges our classical assumptions, under which we expect always to have a ‘yes or no’ answer about the ‘way things are’.Quantum systems have a kind of tenuousness that contradicts the apparent solidity of the observable world. This is why I view the quantum level as a form of possibility, but one which is very consequential and which underlies the concrete world of sensory experience.
What can you tell me about your book “Understanding Our Unseen Reality” and what other books have you written?
UOUR presents the approach I’ve been working on since about 2010, the Transactional Interpretation of quantum mechanics (TIQM), for the interested layperson. It has no math and presents the ideas in a conceptual way, along with a lot of illustrations. TIQM explains what ‘measurement is’, and this is a distinct advantage over other ways of interpreting quantum theory. So, for example, the paradox of “Schrodinger’s Cat,” who is supposedly in a superposition of alive and dead, is resolved in TIQM. This is because it works with a different understanding of the way fields interact–there is more of mutuality, and this actually allows us to understand what is going on when we interact with quantum systems in a way that allows us to get a measurement result. The book also explores the idea that quantum theory describes a subtle aspect of reality that is not ‘observable’ in the usual way, as I mentioned earlier.
Are you currently working on any book projects and could we expect one to come out soon?
I’m not currently working on a book project, but I am continuing to write papers, present talks, and give interviews on my research in quantum theory. I recently participated in a conference, “Metaphysics and the Matter with Things” (Center for Process Studies) featuring author Iain McGilchrist, which covered a wide range of perspectives relating to his magnum opus “The Matter With Things” and the topic of right brain vs. left brain approaches to understanding reality. It turns out that quantum theory has an affinity for our right-brain, while our left-brain is more comfortable with classical physics.
You are also a dedicated yoga practitioner. What can you tell me about that part of your work?
I’ve always been interested in health and fitness, and I decided to delve into Yoga more deeply about 10 years ago. In 2019 I pursued teacher training and became a Yoga Alliance-certified instructor in 2020. During this time, I enjoyed learning about Eastern thought (for example, ancient Indian and Chinese spiritual traditions) and found that the ancient mystics seemed to presage the world described by quantum theory. While that wasn’t my original motivation for studying physics, it has been very interesting to see the parallels.
To learn more about Ruth and her work, you can visit www.ruthekastner.org and transactionalinterpretation.org
