Is Schrodinger's Cat a True Reflection of Quantum Uncertainty?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around Schrödinger's Cat thought experiment and its implications for understanding quantum uncertainty. Participants explore the nature of superposition, the role of observation, and the concept of decoherence, while considering whether the thought experiment applies to macroscopic objects or can be extended to subatomic particles.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose that until the box is opened, the cat is both dead and alive, reflecting quantum superposition.
  • Others argue that the thought experiment is not meant to suggest that the cat could actually be in a state of both dead and alive, emphasizing that the state inside the box would decohere quickly.
  • A participant suggests that it might be valid to consider a state where the cat is neither dead nor alive, introducing concepts like virtual particles or ghost states.
  • Some participants clarify that for macroscopic objects like cats, quantum mechanics predicts a definite state (dead or alive) once decoherence is accounted for, likening it to a coin flip.
  • There is a discussion about the measurement problem in quantum mechanics, with some noting that decoherence does not fully resolve the issue of how a specific classical state is selected from a superposition.
  • One participant mentions that the assumption of an objectively realized state between observations is unphysical when adhering strictly to quantum mechanics.
  • Another participant humorously suggests that if the cat acted as a quantum particle, it could lead to interactions between multiple versions of the cat.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express multiple competing views regarding the implications of Schrödinger's Cat, particularly about the nature of superposition and the role of observation. The discussion remains unresolved, with differing interpretations of quantum mechanics and its application to macroscopic versus subatomic systems.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include the unresolved nature of the measurement problem in quantum mechanics and the dependence on interpretations of quantum theory, such as decoherence and superposition. Participants acknowledge that while decoherence helps explain classical behavior, it does not clarify the selection of a specific outcome.

  • #31
stevendaryl said:
Oh, I think that that's just an oversimplification for the sake of simplifying computations.
I find that ambiguous but whichever I take it, it trivialises the issue.
I'll start a new thread sometime, maybe.
 

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