META - Mods please stop closing QM interpretation threads

[Quantumental]

Way too many valuable and technical discussions that are outside the realm of 'pure philosophy' gets shutdown here way too often. The last one was a highly productive and interesting thread about technical issues within the Many Worlds Interpretation. Sure some of the posts at the end were joking and not on topic, but then mods should delete those posts and remind everyone to stay on topic, not shut down the entire discussion before it reaches any conclusion.

 

[Dale]

Interpretations threads never reach any conclusion.

Also, long threads are generally an indication of problems anyways. So long interpretations threads are always suspect to begin with.

 

[Quantumental]

But there are conclusions to be reached. There's a reason these threads is vastly more active than other threads. I don't see any reason whatsoever for closing a perfectly good and serious discussion that is at peak activity

 

[Dale]

But there are conclusions to be reached.

No, there aren't. By definition, there can never be any scientific evidence to conclusively support the choice between two interpretations. And by experience, there has never been any conclusive resolution by logic or persuasion either.

Interpretations threads push the boundaries of the forum rules as it is.

 

[Quantumental]

I disagree. Interpretations has lead to new theorems (Bells Theorem) and new experiments. There are also several conclusions to be reached about inter-interpretational (which the last thread you closed was about) issues. It's not wasteful discussions. I find it very close minded of you to automatically just shut down a thread that is constructive for everyone involved without causing any harm to the website. In fact by closing such threads you drive valuable activity away from PF.com and over to physics.stackexchange.com

 

[Dale]

I find it very close minded of you to automatically just shut down a thread

You are free to hold any opinion of me that you wish. If it were "automatic" as you suggest then I would completely delete every single interpretations thread, not just close the ones that become problematic.

I disagree.

Can you point to an example of an interpretations thread that actually reached a conclusion?

 

[Evo]

Dale is backed by the mentors of PF in these decisions, some would prefer to shut them down sooner.

 

[micromass]

I don't get why interpretation threads are allowed at all. They are utterly annoying and they clutter up the entire QM forum. If it were up to me, I would delete all of them.

 

[Quantumental]

Why? Interpretations has been an integral part of science since forever. It is awfully inconsiderate and non-professional of mods here to shutdown these threads that are clearly in high demand since they pop up all the time. If they were truly clogging up the forum I would be completely sympathetic to the choice of shutting them down, but they are clearly not so why?

 

[Algr]

It just makes the whole PF seem mean and risky to put your heart into.

 

[micromass]

Why? Interpretations has been an integral part of science since forever.

They are completely irrelevant to science.

It is awfully inconsiderate and non-professional of mods here to shutdown these threads that are clearly in high demand since they pop up all the time. If they were truly clogging up the forum I would be completely sympathetic to the choice of shutting them down, but they are clearly not so why?

They are clogging up the QM forum. There are threads about interpretations all the time and they always come down to "my interpretation is better than yours".

 

[Vanadium 50]

Why? Interpretations has been an integral part of science since forever.

99.9% (probably 99.98%) of physicists spend essentially zero time worrying about interpretations. Furthermore, the fundamental question of interpretations, "what is happening when we are not measuring it" is fundamentally unanswerable by science. Which is why Micromass is absolutely right - threads about interpretations always come down to "my interpretation is better than yours".

 

[StevieTNZ]

Interpretations of QM are really philosophy - and philosophy is not allowed on this forum.

EDIT: "Philosophical discussions are permitted only at the discretion of the mentors and may be deleted or closed without warning or appeal" - https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/physics-forums-global-guidelines.414380/

 

[Dale]

With those excellent responses we will close this discussion.

Quantumental, your opinion that these discussions are valuable is noted as is your belief that they are not clogging up the QM forum. Please recognize that neither opinion is universally accepted, so in the meantime we will continue to moderate in accordance with the published rules and guidelines.