O.C.R. Observer Created Reality

A layman’s guide to one aspect of quantum mechanics.

Stilson’s debut focuses on a theory born out of the famous double-slit physics experiment, which showed that the very act of observation changed the way that a particle behaved. Following from this, the author posits, as others have before him, that the only reality is that which one can directly observe. Moreover, he claims that we effectively create everything that exists in our reality—not only objects, but people as well. The book addresses some basic tenets and findings of quantum theory and how they relate to the author’s ideas. Stilson is not a physicist, and while he does look at some complex concepts, he steers clear of the jargon and mathematical calculations often found in scientific works. Although the book is primarily scientific in nature, the final chapter has a more New-Age, inspirational feel, with practical advice on how readers can use the concept of Observer Created Reality to bring happiness to their own lives. However, this brief guide feels repetitive at times, as Stilson stresses again and again that the world is the product of readers’ own thoughts. For example, late in the work, he writes, “And this is even more bizarre: even the people around you are a product of your creation,” despite the fact that he has made the same point numerous times in the preceding pages. That said, even the author seems to struggle with the acceptance of his own solipsistic theory; he writes, “It took millennia for the collective mind of man to create a nuclear explosion,” a statement which seems to argue against the idea that there is only one individual in our reality.

Theoretical and philosophical musings that present food for thought but fall short of being truly educational.