Observation Definition - What Is It?

[scilover89]

Can someone tell me the definition of observation?

 

[vanesch]

Can someone tell me the definition of observation?

It is of course a very subtle issue. First of all, "observation" as such doesn't, I think, have any meaning. You have to observe *something*, and that something, in a physics setting, is "an outcome of experiment" (which can go from very sophisticated to trivial).
I would then say that an outcome of experiment is observed, if (at least in principle) it is possible to write down that outcome on a sheet of paper which can be send to a newspaper, and any action/setup/experiment that performs this, is an observation.

cheers,
Patrick.

 

[juju]

Hi,

I would say that any quantum system can be said to have been observed if it interacts with an outside agency.

juju

 

[seratend]

In the quantum context, I will say that an observation result is simply a logical statement that is true (e.g. the particle is observed at position x <=> "the result of the observation is x" is true).

Seratend.

 

[masudr]

Hi,

I would say that any quantum system can be said to have been observed if it interacts with an outside agency.

juju

Now you have to explain what "interaction" and "outside agency" mean. You've just doubled your workload.