- #1
McNanners
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I'm relatively new to Quantum Mechanics (QM), so please correct me if I'm wrong at any point.
As I currently understand QM, everything exists as a non-tangible wave consisting of all possible outcomes until observation forces that wave to collapse into a single outcome, which becomes real.
Is that true so far? If it is, then what happens if something is never observed by anyone?
My guess is it would exist as a wave of all possible outcomes until an observation forces the wave's collapse into one physical outcome, just like everything else in QM. But in this case, the observation never takes place. Without an observation, nothing forces the probability-wave to "decide" on a single outcome. Now what? I figure all possibilities within the wave drop to a probability of zero percent, ceasing the object's physical existence.
Would the same apply to the universe as a whole if, suddenly, the universe could no longer support life? For example, if the expansion of the universe continues forever, eventually a point will be reached when the atoms in the universe are too far apart to support life. From that point on, the probability of life existing in the universe is 0%. Without life, there's no one around to observe anything. At that precise moment (when observations are no longer possible in the universe) every single possible outcome for every single different thing in the universe instantly drops to a probability of zero percent. With no life and no observations, the entire universe would forever be an intangible wave of possibilities, never collapsing into a physical reality. The physical universe would cease to exist, instantly becoming nothing at all.
But nothing can not exist, by definition. Perhaps this is what causes the next Big Bang? Maybe the probability of a Big Bang rises to 100% when all other possible probabilities in the universe drop down to 0%. That would mean the Big Bang serves as nature's way of keeping this balance: Physical reality must be observed to exist & Consciousness requires physical reality to exist. Like yin and yang. One can not exist without the other. Your thoughts?
As I currently understand QM, everything exists as a non-tangible wave consisting of all possible outcomes until observation forces that wave to collapse into a single outcome, which becomes real.
Is that true so far? If it is, then what happens if something is never observed by anyone?
My guess is it would exist as a wave of all possible outcomes until an observation forces the wave's collapse into one physical outcome, just like everything else in QM. But in this case, the observation never takes place. Without an observation, nothing forces the probability-wave to "decide" on a single outcome. Now what? I figure all possibilities within the wave drop to a probability of zero percent, ceasing the object's physical existence.
Would the same apply to the universe as a whole if, suddenly, the universe could no longer support life? For example, if the expansion of the universe continues forever, eventually a point will be reached when the atoms in the universe are too far apart to support life. From that point on, the probability of life existing in the universe is 0%. Without life, there's no one around to observe anything. At that precise moment (when observations are no longer possible in the universe) every single possible outcome for every single different thing in the universe instantly drops to a probability of zero percent. With no life and no observations, the entire universe would forever be an intangible wave of possibilities, never collapsing into a physical reality. The physical universe would cease to exist, instantly becoming nothing at all.
But nothing can not exist, by definition. Perhaps this is what causes the next Big Bang? Maybe the probability of a Big Bang rises to 100% when all other possible probabilities in the universe drop down to 0%. That would mean the Big Bang serves as nature's way of keeping this balance: Physical reality must be observed to exist & Consciousness requires physical reality to exist. Like yin and yang. One can not exist without the other. Your thoughts?