Heisenberg Undertainty Principle

[cutekawaii]

I was reading a book and came upon these lines:

Occasionally physicists bring up the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle as "proof" that there is randomness to the cosmos. Yet ironically the principle itself makes a definite statement about the position and velocity of subatomic particles. The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle thus shows certainty, not uncertainty; it in no way proves the ultimate randomness of the natural world.

Based on these lines alone, what would you make of the author's grasp on the principle? If you didn't know what the HUP was, what impression would you get?

 

[olgranpappy]

I'd need more context to say. The blurb you gave states very little. "ultimate randomness" and "randomness to the cosmos" are vague statements. The book states that the principle is a "definite statement", but that doesn't mean that the statements it makes are deterministic...

Anyways, the difference between classical determinism and quantum can probably be phrased more clearly in terms of wave-functions: Yes, the evolution of the wave-function *is* deterministic, but quantum predicitions are still probabilistic. Sorry, but that's the best anyone can do.

 

[olgranpappy]

p.s. this isn't a homework question, is it?

 

[cutekawaii]

I'd need more context to say. The blurb you gave states very little.

That's the entirety of the mention of the principle.

And no it's not homework lol.