Jump to content

Hugh Everitt (on BBC4)

Mick Mac

By Mick Mac
in The Lounge

 Share

Recommended Posts

HAL9000

HAL9000

Posted
Posted

Ah yes - Hugh Everett. I've cited the Everett-Wheeler metatheory of Quantum Mechanics a few times in the Drawing Room thread "Is there a God?" I don't think many people understand it - you're not alone.


It's not really about parallel universes either. Bryce DeWitt called it the "many-worlds" interpretation, a more popular but still vague description of what is probably the most remarkable, mind-boggling and thought-provoking scientific theory ever proposed.

HAL9000

HAL9000

Posted
Posted

katie1997 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> quantum cars.


Thank you Katie - I was wondering how one might explain Hugh Everett?s meta-theory to a lay audience. Here are a couple of (admittedly, simplistic) analogies based on the two principal interpretations of Quantum Mechanics.


According to the Copenhagen Interpretation: an "Observer" in a quantum car would travel along all possible routes to every possible destination but would only "exist" at the single destination where the car crashes into something (i.e. the wave function collapses).


According to Hugh Everett's Interpretation: an "Observer" in a quantum car would travel along all possible routes and would come to "exist" at every possible destination as a superposition of his original self, with each of those selves having no knowledge of any of the other selves (i.e. the wave function does not collapse - the universe bifurcates).


Life, the universe and everything - it doesn?t get much weirder than that!

Ladymuck

Ladymuck

Posted
Posted

HAL9000 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Everyone knows entangled particles

> are complementary, not complimentary!


Hmmmm...purposeful and cunning misconstruction aside...I am surprised that an erudite programmable machine such as yourself should declare such a thing. May I suggest that, on this occasion at least, your - usually - rational thought has become clouded by that feisty temperament of yours.


My life has taken many directions in an immeasurable number of branching universes. Indeed, it will not have escaped your notice that at the last point of bifurcation - i.e. in this fork of the universe - I was destined to be a "staffie". As you know, each branch will have embarked on a different future completely independently of each other. As you - yourself - have alluded to above, under Everett's interpretation "I" will have come to "exist" at every possible destination as a superposition of [my] original self, with each of those selves having no knowledge of any of the other selves.


Therefore, whereas I may have been aware of the correct grammatical usage of "complimentary/complementary" whilst in a superposition in location X, it does not necessarily follow that I should then be similarly aware whilst in a superposition in an altogether different location - e.g. location Y.


However, I'm sure, you knew that.





*goes for a lie down*


STILL laughing BTW:))






.

katie1997

katie1997

Posted
Posted

]*member of lay audience looks confused*



Erm...shd I have put a smile thing at the end of my cars, mechanics. Is any of this thread relative, ha ha? that's in italics btw ;)


Anyway...did you hear the one about two electrons sitting on a park bench? No? Good, I'll leave it there then...


*goes back to reading 'bluffers guide to super-string theory'*


And at the same time..


*still laughing in another dimension*


And..


*concentrating on work*

Ladymuck

Ladymuck

Posted
Posted

pssstt...


pssstt...Katie...


*whispers so HAL9000 cannot hear*


It's all on Google...but don't say nuffink...cos HAL9000 finks me is clever innit...


Anyway, I'm just on my way out...intend grabbing a scoop of SCIC(TM)...shall I have an extra scoop on your behalf?



*tiptoes away everso quietly*


BTW, Quantum Mechanics = Quantum Cars...love it!! Utterly logical!(tu)

Ladymuck

Ladymuck

Posted
Posted

katie1997 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Btw, select the 'highlighter tool' and apply it to

> the top secret text below



Executed with due care and diligence.


Hopefully the information has now branched off to a parallel universe where it's interpretation will result in an entirely different outcome to our ?universe and where computers are now extinct. Indeed, computers have been replaced by Quantum Cars. I only pray that a superposition "Scoop" is in existence in readiness for the arrival of our superpositions.


I therefore hope to meet your superposition at Location X^/>Y in due course.


Laters.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Advertise Here

  • Latest Discussions

    • Kathleen Olander
      Dulwich Park Fair

      By Kathleen Olander · Posted

      It is being advertised on a banner outside Dulwich Park.
    • Vik
      Dulwich Park Fair

      By Vik · Posted

      From the Dulwich Festival website:   Teddy bears picnic with funfair at Dulwich park on 11th May. Giant Teddy Bears’ Picnic - Dulwich Festival   Goose Green fair is on 18th May. Goose Green Fair - Dulwich Festival   But no sign of the usual Dulwich Park Fair this year!        
    • jazzer
      Anyone experiencing even greater issues securing a GP appointment with Tessa Jowell GP practice?

      By jazzer · Posted

      And so an update, a message saying I had a telephone appt which they then changed to a double to deal with two issues at once. From originally booking to the appt has been four weeks, so disappointed, but appt booked in. 
    • Sue
      Gowlett Road

      By Sue · Posted

      Yes, it wasn't exactly Lewes, he lived in a tiny place near Ditchling Beacon while he was running Hoopers  (maybe  he moved to Lewes after Hoopers closed?) Near enough Lewes, though! I can't remember what the place was called, or even if it had a name, there were only a few houses. Which was very weird, because I lived in Ditchling for a time many many moons ago, and I drove up the  tiny road which passed near  those houses every day on my way to work in  Stanmer Park (at that time the local college horticulture department was based there). It was a short cut to the park, and there was a locked gate halfway down the road, which I had a key to. No idea if things have changed now, it was a very long time ago. Very small world indeed. We only found out because  at Jamie's request we put on music in Hoopers for a time (including Wizz Jones), so we got to know him. ETA: Very sorry Lulark (and Admin), this has no relevance at all to your post.

East Dulwich Forum

Established in 2006, we are an online community discussion forum for people who live, work in and visit SE22.

Home
Events
Sign In

Sign In



Or sign in with one of these services

Search
×
    Search In
×
×
  • Create New...