Questions tagged [quantum-physics]
If your question is more physics and less philosophy, consider asking it on Physics.SE (possibly with the soft-question tag).
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How does quantum mechanics affect the probability of macro events?
Events in the world can be described on the macro scale or the micro scale. For events that occur in the macro scale, such as the shape of a particular rock that forms, would the rock have formed in ...
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Would a nonlocal interpretation of quantum mechanics be more parsimonious?
Under the traditional interpretation of quantum mechanics, there is no realism and no “definite” reality. However, arguably, there is also no locality, depending on how you understand the term. Of ...
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Is time not perceivable without motion or change?
As kind of a chicken or the egg question, does motion come before time?
Doesn’t motion allow time to exist and no motion negate time from existing?
If everything in the universe were completely frozen ...
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Does quantum mechanics break the principle of local causality?
I keep reading that quantum mechanics, atleast the standard interpretation, is local. However, local seems to imply that there’s no informational transfer faster than the speed of light.
But even if ...
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Is there a need for a new field of natural-practical philosophy?
Natural philosophy is now generally known as physics. Some ancient universities still call it natural philosophy. But all of science could be included under the term, natural philosophy. There is also ...
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Does quantum mechanics mean that we are far behind in understanding the physical universe?
Until a certain time, physicists were using Newtonian mechanics, and until this time they did not have much difficulty in solving problems with this method. After quantum mechanics was discovered in ...
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Does knowledge of the scientific context aid consideration of philosophical questions?
Some fundamental philosophical questions are posed in the context of quantum physics. Does knowledge of the science aid consideration of these questions? Should the scientific background be explained ...
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Does the law of large numbers explain why quantum mechanics leads to statistical regularities?
When the question of why chancy effects in quantum mechanics lead to statistical regularities is proposed, it is often answered using the law of large numbers.
When you have particles that can be ...
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Why are nonlocal deterministic theories considered less plausible than indeterminism?
As John Bell stated,
I cannot say that action at a distance is required in physics. But I can say that you cannot get away with no action at a distance.
Regardless of whichever interpretation of ...
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Does quantum mechanics disprove the causal principle in philosophy?
The causal principle states that everything must have a cause. William Lane Craig argues that even in the cases of subatomic events in QM, there are certain necessary conditions that produce an effect,...
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How do we know that the superposition of states in quantum mechanics is a real phenomenon? Does this have philosophical significance? [closed]
As far as I know, we can never directly observe the superposition of states of any particle. How do we then know that it is real in the first place?
We have a theory, which isn’t fully defined in the ...
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Does Bell’s theorem assume realism? If so, what kind of realism, philosophically?
This is a philosophical question. It deals with the physics that raise this question. I cite the very recent article by Philip Goff in Scientific American which explains its relevance.
Bell’s theorem ...
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Do acausal quantum events come in between two classical events?
You'll have to forgive my ignorance if the answer to this question has lots of examples of how and when this occurs.
My knowledge of determinism is that it is a picture of a chain of events that goes ...
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Does the existence of a probability distribution in quantum mechanics imply that each measurement has a reason?
The evolution of the wave function which is determined by Schrödinger’s equation, is said to evolve deterministically.
The wave function represents the probability distribution of potential ...
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Argument for God from quantum mechanics [closed]
The argument that my friend proposed is as follows.
1.) Quantum mechanics proposes inherent randomness. This implies a lack of determinism and thus a true probability of every event.
2.) If God exists,...
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Can Mathematics Fully Describe the Universe?
To what extent mathematics can capture all physical phenomena? Drawing an analogy from computer science: finite automata can handle regular expressions (does "(([a-z]))" match "((h))&...
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Does the PSR fail only at the atomic level in quantum mechanics or also for groups of atoms?
It is commonly held, in modern physics, that it is impossible to predict when a particular atom will decay. This is often taken to mean that there is no particular reason why the atom decided to decay ...
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Could events in the universe be necessary or inevitable even if not determined?
Let us suppose that inherent randomness (atleast partially) in the universe exists. By this, I mean that certain things especially in the micro world are not predictable even if on the macro scale, ...
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Is quantum mechanics relevant/irrelevant to explain conscious processes?
According to the paper by Koch and Hepp The relation between quantum mechanics and higher brain functions: Lessons from quantum computation and neurobiology from 2007, quantum mechanics and its ...
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The Copenhagen Interpretation: From Quantum Mechanics to Ethics?
I've been pondering an intriguing comparison lately, drawing parallels between the Copenhagen Interpretation in quantum mechanics and a hypothetical "Copenhagen Interpretation of Ethics". As ...
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Does quantum immortality mean solipsism?
If when we die another universe is created in which we live, then would the people of that universe be real?( by that i mean conscious beings like myself) or am I misunderstanding QI?
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If standard quantum mechanics disproves determinism, why are probabilities the way they are?
In quantum mechanics, the probability, say, that a radioactive atom will decay is well defined. By the Born Rule, it says that the probability of obtaining any possible measurement outcome is equal to ...
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Books on the philosophy of quantum mechanics
As the title says, I am looking for books on the philosophy of quantum mechanics; more specifically on ontology and or epistemolgy. So far I've found Tim Maudlin's Philosophy of Physics: Quantum ...
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Could a quantum computer simulate any system based on different types of logic?
Quantum computing is based on quantum mechanics (obviously) which has different logical rules than classical/Boolean logic.
However, does this mean that a quantum computer could simulate or process ...
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Looking at quantum physics from the perspective of Indian philosophy?
So the philosopher Anand Vaidya, makes the claim (minute 9:18): " .. There was a big movement in Indian philosophy to really look at quantum physics from the perspective of classical Indian ...
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What if time and quantum corrections were created because the idea of "god" was damaged?
Assuming the idea of "God" exists. In its most perfect form, should physics not be without the various quantum phenomena with a renormalizable gravitational theory? Perhaps the idea of ...
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Are there any sources linking Schopenhauerian metaphysics (will as thing-in-itself) with our contemporary understanding of physics?
I'm especially interested if there are any attempts at reconciling Schopenhauer's metaphysical will with the seeming indeterministic nature of quantum physics. Thank you.
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Isn't the measurement postulate irrelevant to Wigner's friend extended?
So many physicists like Carroll use a variation of Wigner's friend to argue for the many worlds of many worlds. I shall stick to the Frauchiger and Renner version of the Wigner's-friend scenario which ...
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Cause of the outcome of quantum events
Do quantum events have no definite cause , a cause but the cause is unknown, they have no cause, they simultaneously have a cause and do not have a cause , there is a known cause, causes of events at ...
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What were Bertrand Russell's later views on quantum mechanics?
Russell touched on QM a bit in The Analysis of Matter, which was the same year as the Fifth Solvay Conference. I am sure he must have thought very deeply about the implications of the quantum theory, ...
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Does the cloning of worlds, like in Many Worlds interpretation, really give the standard interpretation of probabilities?
Copenhagen-
Suppose I ask you to bet on the outcome of 100 spin measurements. And you believe in the Copenhagen interpretation for now. The odds given by the Born rule, for each experiment, are 50:50 ...
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Union of Cosmopsychism and the Many Worlds Interpretation
My question relates to the following essay:
Cosmopsychism and the Many Worlds Interpretation: A Monistic Perspective on Consciousness and Quantum Mechanics
The essay explores the combination of ...
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Ontic structural realism: what's the difference between 'structures are all there is' and 'all there is are structures'?
I'm a physics student reading a philosophy essay about ontic structural realism and quantum field theory. In that paper, the author presented ontic structural realism(OSR) and radical ontic structural ...
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The measurement and causality? [closed]
So my question is how do we establish that the measuring device causes the measurement (/collapse of the wave function)?
Is it as crude as my experimentalist friend told me so and won the best each ...
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Ballentine on the concept of state (ensemble interpretation of quantum mechanics)
Early in Chapter 2 of Ballentine's Quantum Mechanics, he gives what I will call Statement 1:
The empirical content of a probability statement is revealed only in the relative frequencies in a ...
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Are we all in a state of existence and nonexistence?
Why?
Because if something exists it needs something that observes it otherwise it doesn't exist or...?
If this is true then at some point in this universe we all will very likely vanish (Big Freeze or ...
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Philosophical implications of entangled states (and the 2022 physics nobel prize)
FYI: For the 2022 Physics Noble Prize announcement, see here.
First, I realize the subjective nature of any potential answers or discussions regarding this question. In spite of that, I'm still ...
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If objective reality does not exist, is the universe different for everyone?
A recent study says that objective reality doesn’t exist and that each persons subjective experience differs. Now I don’t think that the laws of physics work differently for me or anything like that ...
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What did Popper think of the "Many Worlds" interpretation of Quantum Mechanics?
The Everettian, aka Many Worlds, interpretation of Quantum Mechanics states that the wave function of the universe never collapses and evolves according to the plain Schrodinger equation.
When a ...
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Comprehension and WIgner's friend thought experiment?
I haven't seen this line of argument used. So I'm curious on it's validity and if it already exists in the literature.
In the thought experiment Wigner's friend the disparity of descriptions of the ...
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What would the wavefunction represent in an observer-less universe?
Suppose the universe has no observers, and the universe's dynamics is governed by the Schrodinger equation. What does the wavefunction represent now? Is it that parts of the universe keep "...
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Was Einstein’s dice analogy not exactly how he wanted quantum mechanics to be?
Eindtein famously stated that God doesn't play dice ("Gott würfelt nicht"). But wasn't that example of precisely how he thought quantum mechanics should be, i.e. a determined process ...
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What is the most probable AI?
then I have a difficult question to ask.
Let's imagine that in the distant future of our universe, through the arrangement of atoms that move in empty space, various objects are formed, any object can ...
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We know Classical Mechanics is wrong. But can we also say every other theory is wrong except the Theory of Everything?
Classical Mechanics (CM) or Quantum Mechanics (QM) is technically wrong. That doesn't mean they are irrelevant or have less significance, but they are wrong regardless of how accurate they are. Can we ...
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A terrifying variant of Boltzmann's brain
I am new to this forum even though I have read a lot on the subject of boltzmann's brains and have come to a terrifying conclusion, the classic argument which for example Sean Carroll used, "The ...
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Quantum vs classic dangerous decisions under many-worlds interpretation
Consider the following scenario:
You are a military truck driver tasked with delivering supplies.
The destination is close to enemy territory.
To not be predictable, each truck randomizes the route ...
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Does the equivalence principle hint at the quantization of gravity? [closed]
So I've been pondering about the equivalence principle:
"Einstein came to realise the principle of equivalence, and it states that an accelerated system is (locally) completely physically ...
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In the EPR paradox, what was Einstein's argument against God playing dice?
Imagine an experiment as used in formulating the EPR paradox. Say we entangle two electrons and separate them by a great distance. If we measure the z-component of spin, on one of them, sz1, we know ...
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How does a many world interpretation explain an irrational number as the probability? [closed]
So in the many worlds theory my understanding is for each measurement outcome there is a world. But this does not make sense (in my opinion). Why? Because the number of worlds where outcome A is seen ...
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If we believe the Free Will Theorem and experiments in QM, can we conclude that perfect randomness and free will are indistinguishable?
According to Conway's FWT, it appears to me that electrons collapse into one of the possible state as a result of free will (assuming the experimenters/observers have free will, and superdeterminism ...
