On 2/26/2015 7:48 PM, Jason Resch wrote:
On Thu, Feb 26, 2015 at 9:40 PM, Bruce Kellett <bhkell...@optusnet.com.au
<mailto:bhkell...@optusnet.com.au>> wrote:
Jason Resch wrote:
On Thu, Feb 26, 2015 at 9:20 PM, Bruce Kellett
<bhkell...@optusnet.com.au
<mailto:bhkell...@optusnet.com.au> <mailto:bhkell...@optusnet.com.au
<mailto:bhkell...@optusnet.com.au>>> wrote:
Jason Resch wrote:
There's no problem defining probability. There is, however, a
big problem defining collapse.
Collapse is easily defined.
So at what point does it happen?
What triggers it?
On what scales can and can't it happen?
The quantum bayesian answers are: When you learn the value. Your learning. Not sure what
"scales" refers to - probably any scale.
How do you define a measurement? An observer?
How is a measuring apparatus or an observer different from any other
physical
object?
What is the special property of the observer / measuring device that
enables it
to collapse the wave function?
If you have an observer who himself is isolated from an external
environment,
can he collapse the wave function? Or can only you collapse him by
observing him?
Note that all these questions about "an observer" apply equally to "who is the first
person, that is indeterminate".
All these questions are rendered irrelevant if you take the view that the
wave
function is purely a device for calculating probabilities,
So it is easily defined, but when I ask what that definition is, I'm told "shut up and
calculate!"
not something that has a real, independent existence. In other words, the
epistemic
interpretation of QM.
So then what was the universe before there were any observers? Did the first mouse to be
born and open its eyes cause the creation of the universe?
An epistemic interpretation and observation is updating a theory of the world just like
any other observation. Most theories of the world include a past.
There is nothing physical to collapse -- we are dealing solely with
classical
probabilities.
If it's just a device for deriving probabilities, what is doing all the work in a
quantum computer?
Rotation of the state vector in Hilbert space.
Brent
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
"Everything List" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email
to everything-list+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com.
To post to this group, send email to everything-list@googlegroups.com.
Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/everything-list.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
