Busting the myth of the observer: the double slit experiment

In summary: it's been pretty much abandoned, as it doesn't really add anything to our understanding of the universe.
  • #71
bhobba said:
No - it built right into its basic axioms. The theory is about the outcomes of observations - that's it - that's all.
Quantum contextuality seem to be a very useful property/feature for quantum computation ( http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v510/n7505/full/nature13460.html ).


http://www.cifar.ca/contextuality-puts-the-magic-in-quantum-computing-contextuality-puts-the-magic-in-quantum-computing-contextuality-puts-the-magic-in-quantum-computing-contextuality-puts-the-magic-in-quantum-computing

“One way of thinking about contextuality is that inevitably measurements involve some kind of disturbance. I'm not just learning about some definite property the system had prior to the measurement. I can be learning about some property the system had, but only in a way that depends on how I did the measurement.”

Patrick
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #72
steviereal said:
We all remember the animations describing the double slit experiment to the public, laying out the foundations of the mysterious quantum world. Now take the part when we try to determine which slit the electron went through. The narrator will say something like this, in a hushed voice: „And now, the electron, as if it somehow knew we were watching, becomes a particle! It changes just because we observe it!”
If I’m correct, the notion of the intelligent observer is so serious that it gave rise to the anthropic principle where consciousness interferes with quantum objects. I don’t understand something here because I see an error so glaring, it’s as bright as the Sun.
How could anyone call a which-way detector an innocent little observer? For a quantum particle, it is a brutal machine, that interacts with it in a physical way. The detector has no choice by the way but to interact, after all, how else would it get any information out of that photon or electron? It places an electromagnetic field in the path of the particle, or is bombarding the path with particles, I don’t know exactly how it does it but there is no choice but to do something like that. And it is perfectly natural for an electron in its wave form to collapse into a particle after you bump it against some other particle for the purpose of measurement.
Suggesting that all we do is observe gives everyone the false idea that a flying particle in the double slit experiment is bothered by an imaginary line, which we call our line of sight.
I think the word „observe” should only be used if we know what we are talking about:
Step one: Brutal interference
Step two: Drawing conclusions after checking what happened (good luck by the way, after step one)
So what am I missing here? Surely I can’t be smarter than all those scientists who had good reason to pursue the theory of the intelligent observer.
 
  • #73
Greg Bystroff said:
The notion of the intelligent observer is so serious that it gave rise to the anthropic principle where consciousness interferes with quantum objects.

The "anthropic principle" was not developed from the notion of consciousness interfering with the wave function. Instead, it's an attempt to explain some seemingly unlikely facts about the universe by saying that if they weren't true, we wouldn't be around to observe them.

Your suggestion that measurement causes wave function collapse through disturbing the particle has been investigated, and there are good reasons to believe that that can't be the full explanation. In the EPR experiment, we have a pair of correlated particles, that travel far apart before a measurement is performed. Then apparently a measurement of one particle causes the wave function of the OTHER particle to collapse. If you assume that physical disturbances can't instantaneously cause effects on far-distant particles, then there is no way for wave function collapse to be an ordinary physical disturbance.
 
  • Like
Likes TJung
<h2>1. What is the double slit experiment?</h2><p>The double slit experiment is a classic experiment in quantum mechanics that demonstrates the wave-like nature of particles. It involves shooting particles, such as electrons or photons, through two parallel slits and observing the resulting interference pattern on a screen behind the slits.</p><h2>2. What is the observer's role in the double slit experiment?</h2><p>The observer's role in the double slit experiment is to measure or observe the particles as they pass through the slits. This measurement or observation is thought to collapse the wave function of the particles, causing them to behave like particles rather than waves and resulting in a different interference pattern on the screen.</p><h2>3. Why is the double slit experiment considered a "myth" of the observer?</h2><p>The idea that the observer plays a crucial role in the outcome of the double slit experiment is often misunderstood and exaggerated, leading to the myth that the observer has a mystical or magical influence on the behavior of particles. In reality, the observer's role is simply to measure or observe the particles, which is a fundamental aspect of scientific experimentation.</p><h2>4. Can the double slit experiment be explained without the need for an observer?</h2><p>Yes, the double slit experiment can be explained without the need for an observer. The behavior of particles can be described by mathematical equations, and the interference pattern observed on the screen can be predicted without any reference to an observer. The role of the observer is simply to gather data and confirm the results of the experiment.</p><h2>5. What implications does the double slit experiment have for our understanding of reality?</h2><p>The double slit experiment challenges our traditional understanding of reality, as it shows that particles can behave like waves and exhibit interference patterns. It also raises questions about the role of consciousness in the universe, but it is important to note that this does not necessarily mean that consciousness has a supernatural or magical influence on the behavior of particles.</p>

1. What is the double slit experiment?

The double slit experiment is a classic experiment in quantum mechanics that demonstrates the wave-like nature of particles. It involves shooting particles, such as electrons or photons, through two parallel slits and observing the resulting interference pattern on a screen behind the slits.

2. What is the observer's role in the double slit experiment?

The observer's role in the double slit experiment is to measure or observe the particles as they pass through the slits. This measurement or observation is thought to collapse the wave function of the particles, causing them to behave like particles rather than waves and resulting in a different interference pattern on the screen.

3. Why is the double slit experiment considered a "myth" of the observer?

The idea that the observer plays a crucial role in the outcome of the double slit experiment is often misunderstood and exaggerated, leading to the myth that the observer has a mystical or magical influence on the behavior of particles. In reality, the observer's role is simply to measure or observe the particles, which is a fundamental aspect of scientific experimentation.

4. Can the double slit experiment be explained without the need for an observer?

Yes, the double slit experiment can be explained without the need for an observer. The behavior of particles can be described by mathematical equations, and the interference pattern observed on the screen can be predicted without any reference to an observer. The role of the observer is simply to gather data and confirm the results of the experiment.

5. What implications does the double slit experiment have for our understanding of reality?

The double slit experiment challenges our traditional understanding of reality, as it shows that particles can behave like waves and exhibit interference patterns. It also raises questions about the role of consciousness in the universe, but it is important to note that this does not necessarily mean that consciousness has a supernatural or magical influence on the behavior of particles.

Similar threads

  • Quantum Physics
Replies
14
Views
1K
  • Quantum Physics
2
Replies
36
Views
1K
Replies
42
Views
1K
Replies
5
Views
743
  • Quantum Physics
2
Replies
49
Views
3K
Replies
32
Views
2K
Replies
60
Views
2K
Replies
26
Views
1K
  • Quantum Physics
Replies
4
Views
747
Replies
3
Views
750
Back
Top