Does the Many Worlds Interpretation Affect the Original Universe?

In summary, the Many Worlds Interpretation suggests that the universe splits into two realities when a quantum event has more than one possible outcome. One in which Schrodinger's cat will find itself dead, and another in which the cat lives. However, the original universe remains unchanged.
  • #1
Double E
3
0
According to the Many Worlds Interpretation the universe supposedly splits off into two realities when a quantum event has more than one possible outcome(Schrodinger's cat for example). One in which Schrodinger will find his cat dead, and another in which his cat lives. But what happens for the original universe? What I mean is: How does the MW approach affect what Schrodinger sees in the original universe? Is the cat's state affected somehow by the states of the two universes' (sort of like waves interfering I guess), or is the original universe simply one of the possible states and only one (not two) extra universes is actually created and the state of the cat in the extra universe is simply the opposite of it's state in the original.
Thank you in advance I'm kinda new here but I do realize everything above is based on theory and can easily be proven wrong. (I actually kinda prefer the Copenhagen Interpretation myself)
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
Double E said:
What happens for the original universe? What I mean is: How does the MW approach affect what Schrodinger sees in the original universe? Is the cat's state affected somehow by the states of the two universes' (sort of like waves interfering I guess), or is the original universe simply one of the possible states and only one (not two) extra universes is actually created and the state of the cat in the extra universe is simply the opposite of it's state in the original.
I'm not sure it's reasonable to talk about the original universe. Why should one of them be original? If I were to take, say, a colony of bacteria and split it in half, which is the original colony? (bad analogy, but you get the idea)
I would say they are both equivalently original.


Double E said:
Thank you in advance I'm kinda new here but I do realize everything above is based on theory and can easily be proven wrong. (I actually kinda prefer the Copenhagen Interpretation myself)
Me too.
but if it could be easily proven wrong it wouldn't be a theory :wink:
 

1. What is the Many Worlds Interpretation (MWI)?

The Many Worlds Interpretation is a theory in quantum mechanics that suggests that every possible outcome of a quantum event actually occurs in a separate parallel universe. This means that there are an infinite number of parallel universes, each with a different version of reality.

2. How does the Many Worlds Interpretation differ from other interpretations of quantum mechanics?

The Many Worlds Interpretation differs from other interpretations, such as the Copenhagen Interpretation, in that it does not involve wave function collapse. In the MWI, all possible outcomes of a quantum event exist simultaneously in different parallel universes, while in the Copenhagen Interpretation, the wave function collapses to a single outcome.

3. Is the Many Worlds Interpretation accepted by the scientific community?

The Many Worlds Interpretation is a controversial theory and is not universally accepted by the scientific community. While some physicists, such as Hugh Everett who first proposed the theory, support it, others find it to be too speculative and untestable.

4. How does the Many Worlds Interpretation explain the measurement problem in quantum mechanics?

The Many Worlds Interpretation suggests that the act of measurement does not cause wave function collapse, but rather, it simply reveals which outcome of a quantum event is experienced by the observer. This eliminates the need for a conscious observer to cause the collapse of the wave function, as in the Copenhagen Interpretation.

5. Can the existence of parallel universes be proven?

At this time, there is no way to prove the existence of parallel universes. The Many Worlds Interpretation is currently a theoretical concept and there is no empirical evidence to support or refute it. Some physicists argue that the existence of parallel universes may never be provable, as it is a question that lies outside the realm of scientific inquiry.

Similar threads

I Many worlds interpretation with unequal probabilities
    • Quantum Interpretations and Foundations
2
Replies
41
Views
3K
I Schrodinger’s cat and the Many Worlds interpretation
    • Quantum Interpretations and Foundations
Replies
17
Views
2K
I What is the true nature of worlds in the Many-Worlds Interpretation?
    • Quantum Interpretations and Foundations
Replies
11
Views
659
I Many-Worlds and Testable Claims
    • Quantum Interpretations and Foundations
Replies
1
Views
345
I Many Worlds as Many Histories?
    • Quantum Interpretations and Foundations
Replies
1
Views
2K
A Schrödinger's original interpretation
    • Quantum Interpretations and Foundations
Replies
21
Views
2K
A Proof that the thermal interpretation of QM is wrong
    • Quantum Interpretations and Foundations
2
Replies
59
Views
10K
A Many worlds, observer and Entropy
    • Quantum Interpretations and Foundations
Replies
3
Views
2K
How can the many worlds interpretation be deterministic?
    • Quantum Interpretations and Foundations
Replies
2
Views
941
I How to envision particles in superposition in Many Worlds presplitting
    • Quantum Interpretations and Foundations
Replies
7
Views
1K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top