If QM is true does free will exist?

  • Thread starter Schrodinger's Dog
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In summary, quantum mechanics suggests that everything is fundamentally random and chaotic, which would mean that free will does not exist.
  • #1
Schrodinger's Dog
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I'm not sure where to put this so I'll start here.

If we accept the posits of the Copenhagen Interpretation, or accept that light is both a wave and a particle, how does this affect the debate about free will and predeterminism or doesn't it and why?
 
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  • #2
One may and may not worry more about the implications of the Many Worlds Theories. :biggrin:
 
  • #3
Ivan Seeking said:
One may and may not worry more about the implications of the Many Worlds Theories. :biggrin:

:biggrin: I'm not to worried personally, but it's a nice idea, if not exactly scientific.
 
  • #4
If QM is true does free will exist?
Yes - that is the only possibility that explains the stupid things that I do. :biggrin:

that light is both a wave and a particle, how does this affect the debate about free will and predeterminism or doesn't it and why?
It doesn't.
 
  • #5
What are virtual particles, and what does it mean to be virtual?
 
  • #6
Ivan Seeking said:
What are virtual particles, and what does it mean to be virtual?

You can imagine imaginary numbers. What is it in a name?
 
  • #7
If nature is fundamentally random (as QM suggests, but in no way proves), then free will does not exist.
 
  • #8
There's a difference between random and chaotic, QM suggests that fundementally everything is not only random but chaotic too, ie totally without rules, even the rule of the random, if I roll a dice there is an equal chance of 1 to 6 coming up, in the quantum world, often no one even knows the number of possible states that could be involved let alone whether there are finite possibilities, or how the rules work if there are any?

Some physisists posit that the future and the past don't exist only a quanta in time, put that with a chaotic QM, you have the possibility of free will, if the past or the future are not cast in stone, in fact don't even exist except as memories or as a conception or hope, then you have free will right there, so if you take the premise to be true then free will would be a natural consequence of a truly chaotic system with no set past or future. Anything could happen and given enough time probably will.
 
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  • #9
Hi Schrodinger,
I'd agree that in order for 'free will' to have any meaning at all, then the future can't be predetermined. But I think there's much more to it than that. Note that the future could be influenced by QM interactions, but if the human brain is strictly governed by deterministic mechanisms such as computationalism requires, then even if the future isn't determinate, all the thought processes the brain has certainly are. So in the coloquial sense, computationalism prohibits free will. This problem with computationalism has been cited by many, and I haven't seen any decent rebuttle.

What this says is that if free will is real, consciousness will need to incorporate QM. This problem with computationalism is just one of many.
 
  • #10
Schrodinger's Dog said:
If we accept the posits of the Copenhagen Interpretation, or accept that light is both a wave and a particle, how does this affect the debate about free will and predeterminism or doesn't it and why?
In my opinion it has no effect whatsoever.

The idea that our minds can be taken outside the realm of the wavefunction of the universe and above that being able to influence it is as absurd to me as the idea of some deity ruling the universe.
 
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  • #11
QM suggests that fundementally everything is not only random but chaotic too, ie totally without rules,

This post shows confusion, and uses the techincal term 'chaos' in exactly the wrong sense. To clarify:

Random: Doesn't depend on anything.

Chaotic: Appears random but actually depends on some small number (n < 10) of variables.

I will add that QM is irrelevant to the metaphysical question of free will. Quantum effects are confined to the submicroscopic domain outside of carefully controlled laboratory experiments.
 
  • #12
Crosson said:
Quantum effects are confined to the submicroscopic domain
Not true. For example, superconductivity is a macroscopic quantum effect. In principle, every quantum effect can be realized at the macroscopic level as well, but in practice it is usually difficult to achieve this owing to the interaction with the environment that destroys quantum coherence.
 
  • #13
Crosson said:
This post shows confusion, and uses the techincal term 'chaos' in exactly the wrong sense. To clarify:

Random: Doesn't depend on anything.

Chaotic: Appears random but actually depends on some small number (n < 10) of variables.

I will add that QM is irrelevant to the metaphysical question of free will. Quantum effects are confined to the submicroscopic domain outside of carefully controlled laboratory experiments.

If a small effect on a microscopic scale such as a synapses tubuoles can be effected by the quantum(specifically QET) And enzymes in DNA use Quantum mechanical effects to more quickly find genes to replicate, aren't we seeing something at the x level that could given enough time effect the macro level.

In fact if you have probability a, given enough time couldn't the quantum turn it into probability b, then where is predeterminism? One single effect in the history of humans that should of been x becomes y, how does this effect the predetermined, particularly if there is no past and future? Since it's now on a track that can't lead to the predetermined, and it was truly random.

Also if there is no future or past, where does that leave causality anyway? slightly less well refined perhaps?
 
  • #14
PHYSICS FORUMS
Quote From Sd01g
IMO Best saying ever

Sometimes it is best to step back from the equations and observe what is really happening.
 
  • #15
This is from another thread talking about how freewill and determinism are affected by QM. Here are some definitions I got from reading the thread:

Wizardsblade said:
1) Determinism- QM's statically nature is, as random as it seems, is controlled by a hidden variable (something we can not discern at this time).

2) Randomness or pseudo freewill- QM's stastical nature is truly random and, therefore so are our choices.

3) Freewill- QM's statically nature is governed by something we control. Our will controls our decisions and therefore it will control which quantum paths to take. And as I said this would require something beyond the physical universe, call it what you will.

Both humans and computers with QRNGs (quantum random number generators) would not possesses freewill but rather pseudo freewill.

So do humans have an organic QRNG?
Are my definitions suitable for this discussion? (If not please help redefine them)
Can an experiment (real or thought) be devised to test these definitions?
 

1. Does quantum mechanics (QM) prove that free will exists?

No, quantum mechanics does not prove the existence of free will. While some interpretations of quantum mechanics suggest that the behavior of particles is probabilistic and not fully determined, this does not necessarily apply to human decision-making and consciousness.

2. Can quantum uncertainty account for human free will?

While quantum uncertainty may play a role in the behavior of subatomic particles, it is unlikely to have a significant impact on the complex processes of human decision-making. Free will involves much more than just random choices.

3. Are humans just programmed by quantum mechanics, making free will an illusion?

No, humans are not just programmed by quantum mechanics. Our brains are made up of many different systems and processes that contribute to decision-making, including genetics, environment, and past experiences. While quantum mechanics may play a role at the subatomic level, it is just one piece of the puzzle.

4. Can free will and determinism coexist in a quantum mechanical universe?

Yes, it is possible for free will and determinism to coexist in a quantum mechanical universe. Some interpretations of quantum mechanics suggest that while the behavior of particles may be probabilistic, it is still determined by underlying physical laws. This allows for both free will and determinism to coexist.

5. How does quantum mechanics relate to the philosophical concept of free will?

Quantum mechanics is a scientific theory that describes the behavior of particles at a subatomic level. The concept of free will is a philosophical one that has been debated for centuries. While there may be connections between the two, they are fundamentally different concepts and cannot be fully explained or proven by the other.

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