Question on many world interpretation of Quantum Theory

Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the many-worlds interpretation (MWI) of quantum theory, specifically addressing a claim regarding the implications of universe branching and the existence of copies of individuals as they age. Participants explore the validity of the original argument and its assumptions, as well as the foundational concepts of MWI.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant claims that if the universe branches into 5000 universes every second, an 80-year-old person would have an unfathomably large number of copies of themselves close to their death, suggesting a contradiction in MWI.
  • Another participant argues that the original claim misunderstands MWI and suggests reading additional resources for clarification.
  • Concerns are raised about the arbitrary nature of the branching numbers provided, questioning their validity and the concept of being "close to infinity."
  • It is pointed out that individuals do not randomly start their existence at an age of 80, as aging is a continuous process from birth.
  • Another participant emphasizes that while there may be many universes where a person is dead, this does not imply that they are destined to die at a specific time due to the branching process.
  • One participant recommends reading works by Hugh Everett and John Wheeler for a better understanding of MWI and its historical context.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express disagreement regarding the interpretation of MWI and the implications of the original argument. There is no consensus on the validity of the claims made by the original poster, and multiple perspectives are presented without resolution.

Contextual Notes

The discussion highlights limitations in the assumptions made about universe branching, the nature of existence, and the interpretation of probabilities in MWI. Specific mathematical claims and definitions are not fully resolved.

Sajid
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
TL;DR
I argue that many-world interpretation can not be true.
Every second the universe branches into 5000 universes and each of those 5000 universes branches into 5000 more after one more second.
Now, consider an 80 year old person, he has lived close to 80*365*24*60*60 seconds, which is 2.5 Billion seconds. So, in his life time, universe has branched 5000^2522,880,000 times, which is unfathomably and incomprehensibly large number, maybe close to infinity if there is one.
Which means close to his death he has infinite many copies of him in different worlds

Now, if you choose randomly a person's existence, shouldn’t he/she find himself to be in that time where almost infinite copies of him exist, which is close to his death. So, every person should find himself/herself close to his/her final years with almost a probability 1We clearly see that is not the case, so many-world theory can not be true.

What is the flaw in this argument?

Would appreciate your comments/response. Thanks.
 
  • Skeptical
Likes   Reactions: weirdoguy and PeroK
Physics news on Phys.org
Sajid said:
Every second the universe branches into 5000 universes and each of those 5000 universes branches into 5000 more after one more second.

Where are you getting these numbers from? Did you just make them up?

Sajid said:
unfathomably and incomprehensibly large number, maybe close to infinity if there is one

There is no such thing as "close to infinity". Every finite number is the same "distance from infinity" as every other one.

Sajid said:
if you choose randomly a person's existence

You can't. People don't get randomly assigned ages from 1 to 80 years. They each start at zero and age from there.

Sajid said:
What is the flaw in this argument?

There are at least four: the three I mention above plus the one @PeroK mentioned.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: lomidrevo
Your main flaw is believing that in the MWI you can start your existence at the age of 80 out of nothing. Where have you seen aged people appear out of nowhere?

In theory, there are a near infinite number of universes where you are already dead(due to car crashes, brain strokes, Covid, etc) but that doesn't imply you are destined to die now because of the sheer number of worlds that get spawned.
 
Last edited:
Suggest the OP read Hugh Everett and John Wheeler for a clearer understanding. Everett's biographer, Peter Bryne, also quite readable, places Everett in his proper Cold War setting in operations research while Everett's student, David Deutsch, explains wave mechanics in context.
 
Last edited:

Similar threads

  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
1K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
3K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
3K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
3K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
4K
  • · Replies 456 ·
16
Replies
456
Views
26K
  • · Replies 47 ·
2
Replies
47
Views
5K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
3K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
Replies
19
Views
2K