Henry P. Stapp

Henry P. Stapp, Ph.D.

Henry P. Stapp, Ph.D.

Dr. Henry Stapp is a theoretical physicist at the University of California’s Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, specializing in the mathematical and logical foundations of quantum mechanics. His doctoral thesis under Nobel Laureates Segré and Chamberlain created the relativistic theory for the analysis of the proton-proton polarization and spin-correlation experiments. On the basis of that work and criticisms of the Pauli-Heisenberg nonlinear field theory, he was invited by Pauli to work with him in Zurich on foundational issues. Upon Pauli’s unexpected death, Stapp turned to a study of von Neumann’s work on the mathematical and logical foundations of quantum theory. These studies, combined with his thesis work, led to his creation of a relativistic axiomatic formulation of the analytic S-matrix theory of elementary particles, and to proofs of the CPT and Spin-Statistics theorems from the axioms of S-matrix theory.

Dr. Stapp is the author of over 300 scientific articles on foundational issues, and has also written about the revisions entailed by twentieth century developments in physics of the materialist worldview suggested by the physics of earlier centuries. He has lectured widely on the impact wrought by quantum mechanics upon our conception of the mind-brain connection, and on the associated ethical implications of the replacement of “matter” by “our knowledge” as the foundation of our scientific understanding of the reality in which we are embedded. His studies of the quantum measurement problem have led to a strong interest in the apparent effects of our conscious thoughts upon physical processes occurring in the brain. His conclusions are described in many technical articles, and in two popular books titled, Mind, Matter and Quantum Mechanics and Mindful Universe: Quantum Mechanics and the Participating Observer.

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