Many Worlds - Superdeterministic?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the Many Worlds Interpretation (MWI) of quantum mechanics, exploring its implications, determinism, and the concept of superdeterminism. Participants examine whether MWI allows for interpretations, the nature of branching universes, and the relationship between MWI and other theories like string theory. The conversation includes theoretical considerations and personal perspectives on the interpretation of quantum mechanics.

Discussion Character

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

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants question whether Many Worlds is open to interpretation, noting that it is indeed an interpretation of quantum mechanics.
  • There is a discussion on whether MWI is superdeterministic, with some suggesting that if it is deterministic within each universe, it implies a larger deterministic multiverse.
  • Participants debate the nature of branching universes, with some asserting that a universe branches with each wave function collapse, while others argue that branching occurs naturally from the wave function's evolution without collapses.
  • One participant expresses skepticism about the likelihood of instantaneous branching, proposing that universes might exist before or after the current one instead.
  • There are differing views on the concept of wave function collapse, with some favoring a collapse model while others argue that MWI avoids the need for collapse.
  • Some participants note that all interpretations of quantum mechanics yield the same experimental results, emphasizing the subjective nature of preferring one interpretation over another.
  • The term "superdeterministic" is discussed, with some participants clarifying its meaning and its application to MWI.
  • Concerns are raised about the ability to pinpoint when branching occurs in MWI, highlighting the challenges in explaining spatially-separated differences resulting from branching.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views on the Many Worlds Interpretation, with no consensus reached on its implications, the nature of branching, or the validity of superdeterminism. The discussion remains unresolved with competing perspectives on these concepts.

Contextual Notes

Participants acknowledge that interpretations of quantum mechanics, including MWI, are not required by the mathematical formalism and that different interpretations may stretch credulity in various contexts. The discussion reflects a variety of personal beliefs and interpretations without definitive conclusions.

  • #31
mfb said:
I would not call it illusion. All the fields still live in 3+1 spacetime dimensions. To describe the full state of the universe, you need more dimensions to describe correlations.
This is true independent of the interpretation of quantum mechanics.

How many dimensions would you postulate the multiverse has, given you just implied there's more than 4 correct?
 
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  • #32
There is no multiverse involved.
The number of degrees of freedom depends on the definition and the theory considered, but it involves huge numbers (like 1080, the number of particles in the observable universe).
 
  • #33
mfb said:
There is no multiverse involved.
The number of degrees of freedom depends on the definition and the theory considered, but it involves huge numbers (like 1080, the number of particles in the observable universe).

Many Worlds doesn't involve the Multiverse?
Could you please elaborate on this?

Also could someone more knowledgeable let me know if, seeing as how the quantum wave function just describes all the possibilities at once(superposition), is it possible they don't all happen at once?

That is to say probability over time, and eventually all the probabilities are realized overtime?
 
Last edited:
  • #34
Hybrid said:
Many Worlds doesn't involve the Multiverse?
Could you please elaborate on this?
"Multiverse" is neither a clearly defined concept nor a generally accepted notion in modern physics, so there's no good answer to this question.

Also could someone more knowledgeable let me know if, seeing as how the quantum wave function just describes all the possibilities at once(superposition), is it possible they don't all happen at once?

That is to say probability over time, and eventually all the probabilities are realized overtime?
As far as the formalism of quantum mechanics is concerned, superposition is just a mathematical property of the wave function that allows us to calculate the probabilities of getting various results from various measurements. You can interpret the wave function at any moment as saying as "Any of these things could happen with various probabilities; you actually will see exactly one of them happen" and if you read anything more than that into it, you do so at your own risk.
 
  • #35
This thread has drifted away from the original question and into the interpretational swamp, so it is time to close it.
 

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