What dictates the differences between realms within string theory?

[noodliz]

If string theory asserts that a particle can be in more than place and theoretically there are different realms / universes etc. where this occurs but each one is different, how do these differences occur? If it's based the assertion that complete hard determinism does not exist (for every realm would be identical) then does this mean that it is down to randomization of what differs, or does this imply a concept of free will where the differences are based within humans?

EDIT: woops just realized I posted in the wrong sub-forum, terribly sorry!

 

[ZapperZ]

Thread moved.

Zz.

 

[mitchell porter]

Your question is actually about quantum theory and not just string theory. Quantum mechanics is the original approach to physics in which randomness exists. Originally you had quantum theories of particles, then you had quantum theories of fields, and now we have quantum theories of strings. A string vibrates, a non-quantum string vibrates deterministically, but a quantum string has some randomness to its vibrations.

But for a moment you should just forget about strings and concentrate on the simpler forms of quantum theory. There are experiments where a particle goes in, it can go left or right, and the theory doesn't definitely say what will happen, it just gives probabilities. The old debate was whether the actual outcome had a hidden cause or not. Suppose the particle went left: was that because there's an extra level to physics, which causes it to go left, or did it really just go left for no reason at all?

For about fifty years we've had a third option, the many-worlds theory: the particle goes left in some worlds and it goes right in other worlds. This must be what you're talking about.

 

[noodliz]

Your question is actually about quantum theory and not just string theory. Quantum mechanics is the original approach to physics in which randomness exists. Originally you had quantum theories of particles, then you had quantum theories of fields, and now we have quantum theories of strings. A string vibrates, a non-quantum string vibrates deterministically, but a quantum string has some randomness to its vibrations.

But for a moment you should just forget about strings and concentrate on the simpler forms of quantum theory. There are experiments where a particle goes in, it can go left or right, and the theory doesn't definitely say what will happen, it just gives probabilities. The old debate was whether the actual outcome had a hidden cause or not. Suppose the particle went left: was that because there's an extra level to physics, which causes it to go left, or did it really just go left for no reason at all?

For about fifty years we've had a third option, the many-worlds theory: the particle goes left in some worlds and it goes right in other worlds. This must be what you're talking about.

Yes that's perfect, thank you so much.