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In the famous double slit experiment, it's often said that the presence of an observer causes the electrons to behave as particles. "The need for the "observer" to be conscious has been rejected by mainstream science as a misconception rooted in a poor understanding of the quantum wave function ψ and the quantum measurement process." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Observer_effect_(physics)

Why do some famous scientists and philosophers hold on to this misconception? I don't think it's out of poor understanding of quantum mechanics...

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    Can you give an example of a famous scientist who continues to hold on to this misconception? I haven't seen one in modern literature, but then that could just be me reading the wrong (right?) material. – Tim B II Mar 13 '18 at 0:00
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    @TimBII No, you're reading it right. The op's statement is just plain wrong (at least with respect to scientists; philosophers will have to speak for themselves:) – John Forkosh Mar 13 '18 at 4:25
  • Looked up some writing of Bohr and Schroedinger and no reference to the observer being conscious. Remember that even in the famous 2 slit experiment that it is an inanimate measuring device and not a conscious observer. – Swami Vishwananda Mar 13 '18 at 7:14
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    I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it is based on a false premise. – WillO Mar 13 '18 at 16:35
  • The “Consciousness causes collapse hypothesis” (CCCH) is a relatively fringe minority opinion, but “rejected by mainstream science” sounds like it had been disproved or so, which is not the case. Probably the problem that motivates CCCH is that an unconscious apparatus is itself a physical and so a quantum system. But consciousness seems nonphysical so one could entertain the thought that consciousness is finally the point when the collapse occurs. – wolf-revo-cats Mar 26 '18 at 3:01

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