quantum, n.Definitions

A Quantum (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠by its very concept expulsion beyond itself — not merely something that can be increased or decreased ad infinitum.

Quantum (n.) not ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠only can go beyond every determinate magnitude, Hegel says; it is posited that it must alter, and in that move from can to must he sees contradiction.

A Quantum (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠external to itself, and this self-externality is its quality — in it, the quantitative and the qualitative are united.

A Quantum (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠a self-negating determinateness that relapses into the infinite progress; the infinite quantum restores quality.

A Quantum (n.) physics ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠lets one cheat "in reality": a particle borrows energy from the future and pays it back with its annihilation before the system notices — the gap between brute reality and its registration in the big Other.

The Quantum (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the signature of a structure: change arrives in jumps, with no intermediate states in between.