A comparative synthesis of advaita Vedanta and quantum physics: The convergence of Brahman and non-locality

This paper argues that the metaphysical foundations of Advaita Vedanta, as articulated by Adi Shankaracharya, parallel the empirical formulations of modern quantum mechanics. It contends that classical Newtonian physics' reductionist, dualistic worldview has been challenged by quantum phenomena such as wave-particle duality, quantum entanglement, and Bell's theorem of non-locality. The authors propose that the quantum mechanical concept of an omnipresent, undivided unified field mirrors the Vedantic construct of Brahman, the singular non-dual substratum of reality. They suggest that non-locality in physics closely corresponds to the spiritual omnipresence of Atman as described in the Isha and Mundaka Upanishads, exploring the ontological implications of this parallel.

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Abstract

This paper presents a cross-disciplinary, comparative analysis bridging the metaphysical foundations of Advaita Vedanta and the empirical formulations of modern quantum mechanics. Classical Newtonian physics long enforced a reductionist, dualistic paradigm of reality, viewing the universe as a collection of isolated, localized material entities. However, the advent of quantum mechanics specifically the mathematical and experimental validation of wave-particle duality, quantum entanglement, and Bell’s theorem of non-locality—has fundamentally shattered the classical localized worldview. ​This study demonstrates that the revolutionary frameworks of contemporary quantum physics parallel the non-dualistic phenomenology established by Adi Shankaracharya in Advaita Vedanta. By juxtaposing the quantum mechanical concept of an omnipresent, undivided unified field with the Vedantic construct of Brahman (the singular, non-dual substratum of reality), this paper argues that what physics defines mathematically as non-locality closely mirrors the spiritual omnipresence of Atman as articulated in the Isha and Mundaka Upanishads. ​Furthermore, the paper explores the ontological implications of the