Does Schrödinger's Cat Age If Found Alive?

[iMatt]

Considering only the Copenhagen interpretation, discounting the cat as an observer, and assuming wave function collapse at the time of opening the box - if you find the cat alive, has it aged whilst in the box?

Thanks.

 

[Heinera]

Considering only the Copenhagen interpretation, discounting the cat as an observer, and assuming wave function collapse at the time of opening the box - if you find the cat alive, has it aged whilst in the box?

Thanks.

Yes. Otherwise, this would be a sure way to secure nearly eternal life. Set up a ridiculously low probability quantum event to kill you, and move into a box.

 

[iMatt]

Yes. Otherwise, this would be a sure way to secure nearly eternal life. Set up a ridiculously low probability quantum event to kill you, and move into a box.

Agree re eternal life. I am just not sure how the cat can age unless it exists in a alive state it's whole time in the box, rather than the neither alive nor dead state that I thought was the case. Probably a simple answer but seems to be escaping me.

 

[Heinera]

Agree re eternal life. I am just not sure how the cat can age unless it exists in a alive state it's whole time in the box, rather than the neither alive nor dead state that I thought was the case. Probably a simple answer but seems to be escaping me.

Well, if we take Schrödinger's example literally (he actually devised this thought experiment with some tongue in cheek to argue against the orthodox Copenhagen interpretation) then the cat would be in a superposition of a dead and disintegrating cat and a live and aging cat. So if you find the cat alive, it would also have properly aged during the box time.

 

[iMatt]

Ok thanks. It seems that the superposition is not a static thing, but evolves with time as the separate states would.

 

[Heinera]

Ok thanks. It seems that the superposition is not a static thing, but evolves with time as the separate states would.

Exactly. In a superpostion of states, the states that are superpositioned will still evolve as time goes by.

 

[bhobba]

Well, if we take Schrödinger's example literally (he actually devised this thought experiment with some tongue in cheek to argue against the orthodox Copenhagen interpretation) then the cat would be in a superposition of a dead and disintegrating cat and a live and aging cat. So if you find the cat alive, it would also have properly aged during the box time.

Of course it has. According to QM here in the macro world everything is common-sense classical. The quantum weirdness occurred at the particle detector - after that nothing strange happened.

The issue is using just the QM formalism proving its like that. Great progress has been made but a few issues remain. Start a new thread if you want to know more about that.

Thanks
Bill