Can the Future Affect the Past? Exploring Professor Yakir Aharonov's Theory

In 1928, Alexander Fleming was cultivating several bacterial cultures for his research when an accident occurred. Without his noticing, a fungus fell into one of the cultures, contaminating it with mold. To his surprise, the bacteria surrounding the mold failed to grow. This unexpected event led to the discovery of penicillin, which in turn paved the way for the development of many life saving antibiotics.

Like the discovery of penicillin, countless other breakthroughs have emerged from accidents or from problems that arose unexpectedly. This raises a question that continues to intrigue scientists today. Did all of this happen by chance? Were these medicines somehow meant to be discovered, reshaping the face of twentieth century medicine? While this question may sound strange to some, it does not to Professor Yakir Aharonov of Tel Aviv University’s Department of Physics.

Challenging the Stereotype of the Physicist

Physicists are generally viewed as highly rational thinkers who rely on physical explanations and are not inclined toward mysticism or metaphysical ideas. Yet Professor Aharonov challenges this common perception.

In 2010, the respected scientific journal New Scientist declared the Aharonov Bohm Effect to be one of the seven wonders of quantum physics. This phenomenon was discovered by Professor Yakir Aharonov, a prominent Israeli physicist whose achievements are many and who is also a fellow of the British Royal Society.

Can the Future Influence the Past

Aharonov departs from the conventional materialistic view that the future does not yet exist and that events unfold purely through randomness. Instead, he argues that physics can demonstrate, at least to some degree, that the future exists and can influence the past. This idea echoes concepts such as everything is foreseen or declaring the end from the beginning.

To support this view, Aharonov developed innovative measurement and calculation methods that offer a radically different understanding of time. Through what he calls weak measurements, he has shown that in the quantum world, future states of particles can influence events occurring in the present and even in the past.

Experimental Support in Quantum Physics

In recent years, several laboratories around the world have collaborated with Aharonov and conducted quantum level measurements that support this idea. These experiments suggest that at least on very small scales, the future can influence the past.

In an interview with Epoch, Aharonov remarked, “Maybe what Hashem is trying to tell us, or what nature is trying to tell us, is that if two particles begin in exactly the same way and appear completely identical, there is nevertheless a difference between them. But this difference can only be discovered in the future.”

Purpose Beyond Randomness

Aharonov extends this concept beyond the realm of particles. He suggests that the universe itself may have a purpose, and that this purpose caused life to form on Earth in the past rather than as the result of random processes. In his view, life is part of the world’s destiny.

His perspective is fascinating and thought provoking, especially coming from a physicist who is open to recognizing dimensions of reality beyond the material world. However, his ideas do not represent Jewish belief, which speaks clearly of a destiny determined by the Creator rather than by an undefined or ambiguous future.

Still, there is an important lesson to be learned. Physics is not strictly one directional, nor does it claim to explain all of reality through natural mechanisms alone. Instead, it reveals gaps and unanswered questions. It does not prove that spirituality is unnecessary. On the contrary, it suggests that there are elements missing that spirituality can help complete and explain. Physics is part of the wisdom of the Creator, but it is not the entirety of reality.