Uncertainty by design

In quantum physics, progress is earned through a process that by design questions itself, even principles that previously seemed immutable. The north star of the whole endeavor—the scientific method—is uncertainty. And this field is not having it with anyone’s ego. Every single piece of knowledge is subject to correction.

The muon is enjoying its 15 minutes of fame, but the story is just one in a long series of “this changes everything” discoveries. New findings keep pointing to depths that even the brainiest brainiacs could not dream up.

I wrote about this years ago (see Genius Hesitates), through the lens of Carlo Rovelli’s wonderful book, Seven Brief Lessons in Physics. Rovelli shares an Einstein quote, in which everyone’s favorite genius begins an explanation of relativity with the qualifier, “It seems to me...” Rovelli writes,

These simple and clear lines are the real birth certificate of quantum theory. Note the wonderful initial "It seems to me...," which recalls the "I think..." with which Darwin introduces in his notebooks the great idea that species evolve, or the "hesitation" spoken of by Faraday when introducing for the first time the revolutionary idea of magnetic fields. Genius hesitates.

This is important not because scientific mysteries give me the feels, which they definitely do, but because we are facing complex problems that need new thinking and bold questioning of assumptions. If uncertainty was good enough for Einstein, Darwin, and Faraday, then it’s good enough for the rest of us.

For example, an ethos of not-knowing could reorient the rhetoric around cancel culture. Perhaps it’s just fine for old heroes to become irrelevant and beloved entertainers to become less interesting, as we take in new information. None of us is meant to be immortal, anyway.

What might be possible if we loosened our collective grip on systems and laws that are clearly unjust, brutal, or broken? If we embraced our learning curves, rather than constantly fighting to be right—and didn’t shame spiral (or dig in heels to avoid a shame spiral) when proven wrong?

Could we fix policing? Reduce gun violence? Face climate change?

I don’t know for sure (see what I did there?). But I would love to find out. More courage for uncertainty and more enthusiasm for the inevitable evolution of ideas, systems, and solutions could fuel a renaissance.