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Dr. Laurance Doyle founded Principia’s Institute for the Metaphysics of Physics in November 2013 and serves at its director. The Institute strives to explain how the science of quantum physics is going in a direction where it is supporting the science behind Christian Science. “Quantum physics is finding that matter is not substantial, that consciousness or Life cannot be separated from the field,” Doyle said.

Doyle, who is also a research scientist at the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute, believes that Principia College is the perfect environment for Christian Scientists to start embracing quantum physics. “Before, science and religion were in conflict with each other. Now, quantum physics are on the metaphysical side of things,” he said.

Doyle believes, and the Institute teaches, that Mary Baker Eddy and her teachings were farther in science than the field as a whole ever was during her time. Now with the introduction of quantum physics, it is indirectly supporting Mrs. Eddy’s beliefs.

According to the Institute’s website, “Principia students should be ground-level participants in a revolution going on in the physics world with respect to observation, reality, the insubstantiality of matter, and the fundamental role of consciousness in science.”

The Institute was set up to encourage young Christian Scientists to enter, or at least embrace, the field of quantum physics. “We have just posted a video talk from April, and starting in January, the Institute is going to have some new upcoming talks,” Doyle said. “Anyone can visit the website to find out more information.”

In addition to talks that the Institute holds, they also conduct experiments on campus to further push the field of quantum physics. Also, the Institute has internships for Principia students with SETI in an effort to again encourage the Christian Science community to embrace the field of quantum physics. Doyle says the goal for the Institute is to help “those who understand the metaphysical level understand quantum physics on the physical level.” Yet Doyle explains that now human consciousness can determine the outcome of the experiment. “Modern physics cannot separate the scientist and the experiment,” he said. “What the scientist knows determines the result.”

According to its website, the essence of the Institute for the Metaphysics of Physics “is to research, educate, publish, and inspire students, faculty, staff, and humanity about the revolution going on in physics, particularly in quantum physics.”

The growing understandings in the professional field that consciousness, or as Doyle defines as Life, is not localized anywhere but instead it is everywhere. Scientists are finding that consciousness cannot be separated from the experiment and it returns to the idea that what the scientist knows about the experiment has an effect on it.

As stated, the Institute is open to all students on campus but will particularly be of interest to math, physics, computer science, and chemistry majors since this is the designated field. Anyone pursuing these majors can be involved in experiments hosted by the Institute and also have an opportunity to work at SETI for an internship and help apply some of that knowledge the Institute taught.