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Happiness
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What does Feynman's sum over histories mean to the interpretation of our world? Does it mean that we (or a particle) do not have a definite history, but only the most probable one?
Happiness said:What does Feynman's sum over histories mean to the interpretation of our world? Does it mean that we (or a particle) do not have a definite history, but only the most probable one?
Nothing, absolutely nothing. As @atyy said, it's just a mathematical method of computation. In the case of fermionic fields, the method does not even involve a sum over histories.Happiness said:What does Feynman's sum over histories mean to the interpretation of our world?
atyy said:Feynman's sum over histories is not a separate interpretation of quantum mechanics. It is a wonderful and very effective mathematical trick for calculating the probabilities of measurement outcomes, but Feynman's calculation method fits well within the orthodox, Copenhagen-style interpretation.
Demystifier said:Nothing, absolutely nothing. As @atyy said, it's just a mathematical method of computation. In the case of fermionic fields, the method does not even involve a sum over histories.
EPR said:The electron may have many histories(within coarse graininess).
Happiness said:What does Feynman's sum over histories mean to the interpretation of our world?
EPR said:There is only one history in the macro world.
EPR said:We shouldn't even be talking of histories in the plural.
EPR said:What evidence is there of many histories in the macro world?
There is none.
It's not an opinion. It's an observational fact.
Happiness said:"There is currently neither conclusive evidence for the multi-histories interpretation nor for the single-history interpretation. We simply do not know which is true at this point in time."
PeterDonis said:The Feynman "sum over histories" is not an interpretation of QM; it certainly is not the same as the MWI. It's just a different mathematical formulation, and is compatible with multiple interpretations just as the usual mathematical formulation is.
PeterDonis said:a "history" is just one of the paths that goes into the integral.
Happiness said:I wonder why Feynman used the word "histories" instead of "paths".
"Sum over histories" is a concept in quantum mechanics that suggests that all possible paths or histories of a particle or system are taken into account when calculating its behavior. This means that instead of considering just one specific path, the theory takes into account the probability of all possible paths and sums them together.
The uncertainty principle states that it is impossible to know both the position and momentum of a particle with absolute certainty. The concept of "sum over histories" takes into account all possible paths a particle could take, including those that may deviate from the expected path due to uncertainty. This allows for a more accurate prediction of a particle's behavior.
Yes, the concept of "sum over histories" suggests that there is no one definite path or history for a particle. Instead, all possible paths are considered and their probabilities are summed together. This aligns with the probabilistic nature of quantum mechanics.
The concept of "sum over histories" challenges our traditional understanding of causality, which suggests that there is a direct cause and effect relationship between events. In quantum mechanics, the behavior of particles is described probabilistically, meaning that there is no one definite cause for a specific outcome. This challenges our understanding of causality as a linear and deterministic concept.
The concept of "sum over histories" is used in various areas of physics, including quantum field theory, quantum gravity, and particle physics. It has also been applied in other fields such as economics and biology. In practical terms, the concept allows for more accurate predictions of the behavior of particles and systems, and has led to advancements in technologies such as quantum computing.