Inspired by a recent call for home economics and family and consumer sciences (FCS) to become Artificial Intelligence (AI) savvy, this paper coined the term quantum home economics as a hook for urging the profession to prepare for a quantum future. Far beyond classical physics, popular when the profession was founded in the 1900s, quantum physics is the new frontier. Of special interest is quantum thinking in tandem with quantum computing. After comparing classical physics with quantum physics, the paper explored the counterintuitiveness of quantum thinking and then juxtaposed quantum computing (qubits) against classical computing (bits) with its pros and cons and manifestations in daily living. Three pedagogical approaches are recommended: quantum, emergent, and critical. Home economists and FCS are encouraged to engage with anything and everything quantum, confidently stare down its counterintuitiveness and bring quantum thinking into their professional and disciplinary repertoire.
Sue L.T. McGregor (Sun,) studied this question.