(1936-2006)
My Uncle, Dr. Evan Harris Walker, died on the evening of August 17, 2006 at Harford Memorial Hospital in Havre de Grace, Maryland. He will be buried next to his parents at Elmwood Cemetery in Birmingham, Alabama during the first week of September. He was 70 years old.
In his book, The Physics of Consciousness, My Uncle quoted Einstein, (I think) as follows:
Warning: In Quantum Mechanics, the results of any action are determined by the observer rather than any Newtonian law of physics and, if this phenomenon is true in three dimensions, it must also be true in the fourth!
I recently asked him how we would know if someone ever actually changed history retroactively as that new history would be all we remember. He said there would be some subtle indicator or something that looked like a coincidence. He told me that, one might notice the cars in a parking lot were arranged in such a way as to spell out a name or, someone or something might appear in an unexpected place as in Woody Allen’s movie, Zelig or Forest Gump standing next to the President on TV. After all, who could resist a little time traveler’s “graffiti”.
It is with this in mind that I mention; at about the time of his death on the 17th, I was watching him on PBS discussing the letters of Albert and Maleva Einstein in a rebroadcast of that show.
My Uncle will be sorely missed.
Michael P. Walker
24 August 2006
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Dr. Walker is the author of The Physics of Consciousness (Perseus Books: 2000). He was regarded by many to be the founder of the modern science of consciousness research. He was the first to propose a theory of the nature of consciousness tied to well-known physical principles of quantum mechanics and based on quantitative physical and neurophysiological data. He has made significant contributions to the measurement problem in quantum mechanics and originated the ‘Quantum Observer Theory’ relating to state vector collapse that is of significance to parapsychology. Both of these theories have been supported by extensive and predicted experimental results. He has also contributed to the fields of neurophysiology, specifically to the mechanism of synaptic functioning, and in psychology to understanding optical illusion phenomena.
Dr. Walker was recognized for his discovery of the role of Albert Einstein’s wife, Mileva Maric´ Einstein, in the development of the theory of relativity. His discovery received worldwide attention. His physics research was directed toward the problems of Big Bang cosmology, black hole phenomena, and dark matter in the universe.
Dr. Walker developed numerous concepts and designs that have resulted in numerous inventions including one invention in the field of solar energy and a development in the field of environmental protection. His inventions were introduced into the design of the Abrams Tank used in the Gulf War, contributing to the saving of 48 lives (by actual count) during that conflict. He made significant contributions on behalf of the U. S. Government's interests to delay and mitigate the Yom Kippur War that occurred in 1973. Dr. Walker also contributed significantly to non-nuclear designs for ballistic missile defense.
Dr. Walker made contributions to the US Satellite Program in the development of formulas to determine satellite electric field effects on plasma probes and instrumentation. Dr. Walker was an authority on lunar surface phenomena, particularly in the areas of photoelectric effects on surface features, meteoric impact effects, cratering statistics, surface and subsurface structure, and erosion transport mechanisms on the moon.
Dr. Walker was the Director of the Walker Cancer Research Institute at its laboratory in Tallahassee (with collaborative programs at Florida State University and the National Magnet Laboratory), and its laboratory in Wayne State University, Detroit Michigan. The main offices of the WCRI are located near Dr. Walker’s home in Aberdeen Maryland.
Dr. Walker received his doctorate from the University of Maryland in 1964. He had dedicated his life to answering one riddle—it is the central question of philosophy and the oft-forgotten origin of scientific thought itself: What is consciousness? When we ask, “Who are we; what are we; why are we here?” are we not asking, “What is the nature of consciousness; can neither science nor religion explain who am I? In Dr. Walker’s opinion, his answer to this question incidentally also answers the question: what are psi phenomena; what is their cause?
Dr. Walker received the Outstanding Contribution Award from the Parapsychological Association in 2001.
Position Statement:
Members of the parapsychological community are often asked about their belief or skepticism about the reality of parapsychological phenomena. Dr. Walker had this to say: the phenomena are real. I have 9 reasons for this statement. I give them in ascending order of their importance.
1. I have seen them happen.
2. I have done them—made them happen.
3. I have experimentally verified their reality in formal, reported experimentation.
4. J. B. Rhine adequately verified their reality experimentally.
5. A large number of competent experimental scientists have independently confirmed and expanded on Rhine’s work.
6. The phenomena are consistent with quantum mechanical principles.
7. These phenomena can and have been incorporated into a theory known as the Quantum Observer Theory of Psi Phenomena.
8. With these phenomena included, physics provides a more complete scientific understanding than we would have in their absence.
9. Careful and competent researchers have independently tested and verified surprising and unexpected predictions of this Quantum Observer Theory of Psi Phenomena.
A Selection of Publications Germane to Parapsychology:
“The Nature of Consciousness,” Mathematical BioSciences 7, 131—178, 1970.
“Consciousness as a Hidden Variable,” Physics Today 24, 39, 1971.
“Consciousness in the Quantum Theory of Measurement, Part I,” J. Study Cons. 5, 46—63, 1972.
“Consciousness in the Quantum Theory of Measurement, Part II,” J. Study Cons. 5, 257—276, 1972/1973.
“Application of the Quantum Theory of Consciousness to the Problem of Psi Phenomena,” J. Study Cons. 5, 276—277, 1972/1973.
“A Mathematical Theory of Optical Illusions and Figural Aftereffects,” Perception and Psychophysics 13, 467—486, 1973.
“Spurious Allusions,” Perception and Psychophysics 16, 419—425, 1974.
“Consciousness and Quantum Theory,” in Psychic Exploration (Editor: Edgar D. Mitchell), 543—568, Putnam Press, New York, 1974.
“Foundations of Paraphysical and Parapsychological Phenomena,” in Quantum Physics and Parapsychology (Editor: L. Oteri), 1—53, Parapsychology Foundation, New York, 1975.
“Quantum Mechanics/Psi Phenomena, The Theory and Suggestions for New Experiments,” J. Res. Psi Phenom. 1, 38—52, 1976.
“Effects of Trial Rate on Subject Scores in Quantum Mechanical Random Number Generator PK Tests,” J. Res. Psi Phenom. 1, 44—55, 1976.
“Quantum Mechanical Tunneling in Synaptic and Ephaptic Transmission,” Int. J. Quantum Chemistry 11, 103—127, 1977.
“The Compleat Quantum Mechanical Anthropologist,” in Parapsychology and Anthropology (Editor: Joseph K. Long), Scarecrow Press, Metuchen, NJ, 1977.
“Comparison of Some Theoretical Predictions of Schmidt's Mathematical Theory and Walker's Quantum Mechanical Theory of Psi,” J. Res. in Psi Phenomena 2, 54—70, 1977.
“The Quantum Mechanical Theory of Consciousness: A Response to the Critique by Chari,” J. Indian Psychology 1, 130—153, 1978.
“The Quantum Theory of Psi Phenomena,” Psychoenergetic Systems 3, 259—299, 1979.
“Matching Bits with the Computer,” Psychology Today 15, p 108, June 1981.
“Book Review: Mind at Large by C. T. Tart, H. E. Puthoff, and R. Targ,” J. Parapsychology, Dec. 1981.
“A Critical Review of Taylor and Balanovshi's Work,” Psychoenergetics 4, 25—45, 1981.
“Book Review: Extra-Sensory Perception of Quarks by Stephen M. Phillips,” Theta 10, # 1, 20—21, 1982.
“Book Review: The Role of Consciousness in the Physical World by Robert Jahn,” Parapsychological Review 13, # 4, 18—21, 1982.
“Introduction,” Advances in Parapsychological Research, Vol. 4, (Editor: Dr. Stanley Krippner), McFarland & Co., Jefferson NC & London, 1984.
“A Review of Criticisms of the Quantum Mechanical Theory of Psi Phenomena,” J. of Parapsychology 48, 277—332, 1984.
“Quantum Mechanics and Consciousness,” J. Indian Psychology 4, No. 2, 21—26, 1985.
“On the Mathematics of Scientific Belief Systems,” in The Repeatability Problem in Parapsychology (Editors: B. Shapin and L. Coly), pages 98—143, Proceedings of the International Conference held in San Antonio, TX, 28—29 Oct 83, published by the Parapsychology Foundation, Inc., New York, 1985.
“A Comparison of the Intuitive Data Sorting and Quantum Mechanical Observer Theories,” J. Parapsychology 51, 217—227, 1987.
“Information Measures in Quantum Mechanics,” Physica B 151, 332—338, 1988.
“Testing Schrödinger's paradox with a Michelson Interferometer,” (with Drs. E. C. May, S. J. P. Spottiswoode, and T. Piantanida), Physica B 151, 339—348, 1988.
“Ms. Einstein,” 1990 AAAS Annual Meeting Abstracts, p 141, 15—20 Feb 1990.
“Did Einstein Espouse His Spouse's Ideas”? Physics Today 42, pp 9—11, Feb 1989.
(Rebuttal Article) Physics Today 44, pp 122—124, May 90.
“Ms. Einstein,” The Baltimore Sun, Editorial p 11A, 30 Mar 1990.
“The Quantum Theory of Consciousness,” The Noetic Journal, Vol. 1 #1, June 1997, pp 100-107.
Book: The Physics of Consciousness, Perseus Press: Boston, MA. Published January, 2000.
“Idealized Brush Strokes,” a computer art graphics published in Computers and Automation 17, # 8, 14, 1968.
“Computer Graphics,” published as journal cover illustration in The Reflector, IEEE 17, 1968.
“Computer Art Illustration,” published as cover illustration for J. Soc. Info. Display 6, 2, 1969.
“Science/Consciousness/Religion,” Science of Mind 47, 34—43, 1974.
“The Scientific Study of Consciousness and its Significance for Religion,” in Toward a Science of Consciousness, (Editor: J. W. White) W. A. Benjamin Inc., Menlo Park, CA, 1974.
“Consciousness and Quantum Physics,” in Future Science, (Editor: John White) Anchor Press/Doubleday, 1977.
“Evan Harris Walker Comments on Edward W. Karnes, et al., Re: Remote Viewing,” Zetetic Scholar 7, 1980.
“Evan Harris Walker Replies to Edward W. Karnes Reply to Evan Harris Walker's Comments on Edward W. Karnes, et al., Re: Remote Viewing,” Zetetic Scholar 8, 1981.
“Pragmatic Dualism and Bifurcated Idealism. Philosophical Consequences of the Scientific Study of Consciousness: Comments on John Beloff's Paper,” Journal of Religion and Psychical Research, 1985.
“The Natural Philosophy and Physics of Consciousness,” in The Physical Nature of Consciousness, edited by Philip Van Loocke, John Benjamins Amsterdam/Philadelphia pp. 63—82, 2001.