Refutation of physics in _The Beginning of Infinity_?

In summary, there is no known written refutation of the quantum physics presented by David Deutsch in his book _The Beginning of Infinity_. While there is criticism and disagreement, it does not effectively refute his interpretation. Ultimately, the debate comes down to personal preference and there are currently no experiments that decisively support or refute Deutsch's interpretation. This thread is closed to further discussion.
  • #1
curi
1
0
Does anyone know of a written refutation of the quantum physics David Deutsch presents in his book _The Beginning of Infinity_?

PS I have no intention of summarizing the material. If you aren't familiar with it, I don't want you to try to argue with a summary.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
Why do you think it can be refuted? It is his favorite quantum mechanics interpretation. As an interpretation it cannot be refuted.
 
  • #3
curi said:
Does anyone know of a written refutation of the quantum physics David Deutsch presents in his book _The Beginning of Infinity_?
[A number of posts that are not directly responsive to this question have been removed by the mentors]

There's a fair amount of criticism and disagreement out there, but I'm not aware of anything that would count as an (effective) refutation.

However, the lack of an such a refutation doesn't tell us whether Deutsch is right or not - it just tells us that his thinking is not fatally flawed (internally inconsistent, already falsified by experiment, contains a basic mathematical error, ...) and we already knew that. To decisively settle the question, we'd need experiments that both support Deutsch's willingness to push MWI further than anyone else and don't support the alternatives. So far these do not exist.

Thus, the debate comes down to the aesthetic question that drives so many interpretational discussions: Which understanding of QM is most attractive? That's not a useful internet forum discussion, so this thread is closed. As with all such closures, PM me or any of the other mentors if you would like to make a constructive contribution, perhaps by providing a link to a that would answer the original "Does anyone know..." question.
 

1. What is the main argument against physics in _The Beginning of Infinity_?

The main argument against physics in _The Beginning of Infinity_ is that it is limited by our current understanding and perceptions of the world. The book argues that there are infinite possible explanations for any given phenomenon and that our current theories may not accurately reflect the true nature of reality.

2. Does _The Beginning of Infinity_ reject all scientific principles?

No, _The Beginning of Infinity_ does not reject all scientific principles. The book argues that there are limitations to our current understanding of science and that we should always be open to new ideas and explanations.

3. What does the author mean by "refutation of physics"?

The author, David Deutsch, uses the term "refutation of physics" to mean the rejection of the idea that our current understanding of physics is the final and complete explanation of the universe. He argues that there are always new discoveries and explanations to be made, and that we should not limit ourselves to the current theories.

4. Is _The Beginning of Infinity_ a criticism of the scientific method?

No, _The Beginning of Infinity_ is not a criticism of the scientific method. The book actually promotes the scientific method as a way to continuously improve our understanding of the world. However, it does criticize the idea that science has all the answers and that our current theories are infallible.

5. How does _The Beginning of Infinity_ propose we approach scientific theories?

The book proposes that we should always be open to new ideas and explanations, and that we should not consider any theory to be the final and complete truth. It also emphasizes the importance of critical thinking and testing theories against evidence, rather than blindly accepting them as fact.

Similar threads

  • Quantum Physics
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • Quantum Interpretations and Foundations
Replies
4
Views
3K
  • Quantum Interpretations and Foundations
5
Replies
174
Views
9K
Replies
2
Views
1K
  • Quantum Interpretations and Foundations
Replies
30
Views
3K
  • Linear and Abstract Algebra
Replies
0
Views
2K
  • Quantum Interpretations and Foundations
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • Feedback and Announcements
Replies
16
Views
403
  • Quantum Interpretations and Foundations
Replies
5
Views
2K
  • Quantum Interpretations and Foundations
Replies
5
Views
1K
Back
Top