Definition of Science Technology and Society
For many science fiction fans, the most intriguing stories and novels are those that focus on the definition of science, technology, and society in a future world or a future level of physics, which borders on real science of today. In this interview, LoveToKnow Science Fiction sits down with physicist Jack Sarfatti in an effort to understand how close Science fiction stories are to real world theoretical physics of today.
Who is Jack Sarfatti?
Jack Sarfatti is a theoretical physicist who has built up a cult following throughout the years for his efforts in post-quantum physics regarding human consciousness and many other "out there" scientific principles that only science fiction authors have ever considered. Many people don't realize that Christopher Lloyd's mad scientist in the feature film Back to the Future was based on Jack Sarfatti. He pushes the envelope in areas like warp drive physics, cosmological dark energy and time travel, and LoveToKnow Science Fiction is very pleased that Dr. Sarfatti took the time to describe these amazing sciences for science fiction readers.
The Definition of Science, Technology and Society in the Future
LTK: You have a B.A. in physics from Cornell, and received your Masters in Physics from the University of California in 1967 and your Ph.D from the same school in 1969. From the point when you were assistant professor of physics at San Diego State to the point when you left academia in 1973, and later founded the Physics Consciousness Research Group (PCRG) with Werner Erhard's money - can you point to a specific event or some turning point in your life that inspired you to take that path?
JS: Yes, PCRG was Werner Erhard's project not mine. Werner asked me to lead it when Fred Alan Wolf introduced me to him at the Ritz Hotel in Paris in 1974, when we were writing Space-Time and Beyond with Bob Toben. Ira Einhorn was the book agent and Dutton was the publisher. I was just a naive Parsifal along for the ride.
LTK: It's rumored that you might have been the inspiration for the mad physicist in the movie "Back to the Future." Do you think that's true and did anyone from the production of that movie ever contact you?
JS: It's true because we at PCRG were spending a lot of time with Francis Ford Coppola and his wife Ellie. The opening scene in Back to the Future, with the large speakers blasting, is based on real incidents with Kim Burrafato in North Beach that the Coppola Rat Pack at Savoy Tivoli and Caffe Trieste would hear. Kim and Saul Paul Sirag can provide details. Ellie Coppola showed Space-Time and Beyond to all their friends. Saul-Paul can also tell you how Sagan wrote Contact, and his role in it leading to Kip Thorne's seminal wormhole paper. You can see the article on us in Faster Than Light in Coppola's CITY magazine in 1976. I also introduced Jacques Vallee to the Coppola gang in 1976, which is how Vallee got involved with Spielberg. See my book Destiny Matrix. Also, see Vallee's Forbidden Science Volume II.
Science Fact vs. Science Fiction
LTK: Getting down to science fact versus science fiction - a lot of readers are fascinated by stories, like Star Trek, that include transportation technology (the transporter) that can transport matter (a person) through time and space. Is this a science technology that society should realistically expect to take place at some point in the near future?
JS: Depends what you mean. Star Gates (wormholes) yes. Teleporters that deconstruct us (disassemble & reassemble) I think not likely.
LTK: Another technology that science fiction fans are fascinated with is the food synthesizer, essentially creating food out of "nothing - or the subatomic particles of space into an edible form of matter. Is such technology pure fantasy or is there any basis in quantum physics for this?
JS: Nanotechnology is a small step in that direction.
LTK: Of course, a favorite technology of sci-fi enthusiasts is the faster-than-light "warp drive." This sort of technology is used in countless space novels. These drives allow a craft to travel beyond the speed of light. Obviously this is an area of theoretical physics that receives a great deal of discussion - with many propulsion theories out there. Can you share your own opinion as to what warp-drive propulsion theory (if any) that you personally feel is the most likely to see the light of day in our future?
JS: Control of dark energy and dark matter with smart AI (Artificial Intelligence) quantum-computing, nanotech-engineered, high-temperature superconducting, negative-refraction, meta-material, thin, strong sheets forming the fuselage is my intuitive hunch here. Maybe my precognitive remote viewing (a-la Ingo Swann), because of Antony Valentini's theory of "signal nonlocality," based on Bohm's realist quantum theory of hidden variables, guided by the nonlocal quantum potential with back-action feedback violating the sub-quantal thermal equilibrium of orthodox quantum theory's unitarity axiom - like Euclid's fifth.
Dark energy and dark matter are both forms of zero point vacuum fluctuations in my opinion. Dark energy is from virtual bosons. Dark matter is from virtual fermion-antifermion vacuum polarization "bubble" Feynman diagrams. The relative densities of these two types of virtual particles inside the vacuum determine the gravity/antigravity fields in "empty space".
LTK: Finally, of all theoretical technologies you're aware of that's near the point of becoming a reality in our lifetimes, what particular technology (or physics breakthrough) do you personally believe is going to have the most significant impact on society as we know it?
JS: Time Travel.
Final Words
After reading this interview, LoveToKnow Science Fiction fans may now have greater insight into why Jack Sarfatti served as inspiration for Doc Brown in Back to the Future. With his genius intellect and his passion for theoretical physics concepts that surpass the imagination of some of the best sci-fi writers, Jack Sarfatti continues to distribute his theoretical concepts via the Internet as he writes and lectures around the world.
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