Would quantum laws work in other hypothetical universes?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the hypothetical nature of other universes and whether the laws of quantum mechanics would apply in those contexts. Participants explore the implications of string theory and the concept of universes that are not observable, debating the validity of discussing such topics within a scientific framework.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that if other universes exist, the laws of quantum mechanics might behave slightly differently, but the concept of quantum law would still need to exist there, as it underpins the very idea of positing other universes.
  • Others argue that one can propose the existence of other universes without invoking quantum mechanics, emphasizing that such universes would be inaccessible to experimental verification from our own universe.
  • A participant clarifies that they refer to scientifically posited universes that are not observable, contrasting them with fictional constructs.
  • Another participant asserts that anything unobservable cannot be part of a scientific theory, suggesting that discussions about unobservable universes are not suitable for a science forum.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the relevance and validity of discussing unobservable universes within a scientific context. There is no consensus on whether quantum laws would apply in hypothetical universes or if such discussions are appropriate in a scientific forum.

FallenApple
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Not saying that there is another universe. But if there were, would the laws be the same?

I've heard Leonard Susskind explain that extraneous solutions of string theory could represent the environment in regions very far "away".

So is it just small things like the physical constants being adjusted? Surely the laws cannot be different. For example, string theory depends on QFT which depends on QM. So it would be contractdictory to say that the laws are different in another universe using the very same principles that already exist in our universe.

I mean, sure the quantum laws might behave slightly differently, but the idea of quantum law would still have to exist there, since we indirectly depended on QM to even posit other universes.
 
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FallenApple said:
I mean, sure the quantum laws might behave slightly differently, but the idea of quantum law would still have to exist there, since we indirectly depended on QM to even posit other universes.
One can posit other universes without ever invoking QM. But, being other universes, they would be inaccessible to experiment from ours and not proper subject matter for discussion in these forums.
 
jbriggs444 said:
One can posit other universes without ever invoking QM. But, being other universes, they would be inaccessible to experiment from ours and not proper subject matter for discussion in these forums.

What I mean by other universes are the ones that are posited based on scientific theory, but that are not observable. Not just random inventions from the mind like fiction.

Superstrings are not observable and hence haven't been proven to exist, but physicists still talk about them.
 
FallenApple said:
but that are not observable.
Anything that is not observable by definition is not part of a scientific theory and therefore not an appropriate fit for a science forum.

Thread closed.
 

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