Probabilities come into play when you apply the Born Rule, and that's the rule you apply when observations are made. While the cat is in the box, it is in a superposition between dead and alive. The state is described as a wavefunction.my understanding is that when the cat is in the box, the probability that it is alive equals the probability that it is dead, so the cat is considered to be both dead and alive at the same time. — Kaarlo Tuomi
Having ten flavors does not equate to the probability of each flavor being chosen being 10%.we assume the probability that I will pick any given flavour is equal, so that before I pick a flavour, I am assumed to have picked all ten flavours at once. — Kaarlo Tuomi
There's a bit of speculation being applied here that our choices are represented via a wavefunction. QM applies to the mechanics of physical entities. Agents make choices "somehow". But just because agentive choices appear in some fashion to be similar to states in superposition does not mean that an agentive choice is a quantum superposition of possibilities. Perhaps it is, but perhaps it isn't... it would not be inconsistent with quantum mechanics to speculate that your wavefunction could only "reasonably" evolve into your selection of flavor 3, despite the fact that you're mulling over 10 flavors. I think certain philosophers try a bit too hard to link will to QM because they think they need QM like properties for some theory of free will, but I think the latter is mistaken (and QM doesn't quite help explain free will thingies in the way it's usually "needed"), so I would advise proceeding with caution.there is also the multiverse theory, which says that for every choice I make, there is an alternative universe in which I made some other choice. — Kaarlo Tuomi
so I would advise proceeding with caution — InPitzotl
Schrodinger still sees a wavefunction. If you posit that the cat is an observer, then there are two cats; a living one, and a dead one. But Schrodinger still only sees one wavefunction (before opening the box). This is part of the core of MWI; the wavefunction that Schrodinger sees is basically a combination of two "worlds", and when Schrodinger observes this, he just entangles with this wavefunction, after which, there's a Schrodinger that sees the dead cat, and a Schrodinger that sees the live cat; both Schrodingers are part of the universal wavefunction.The cat in the box is an observer too. — Olivier5
so when I'm sat in the ice cream parlour there is a single wavefunction, but there are ten "worlds", and when I make a choice from the menu I entangle with the wavefunction and there are then ten of me, each of whom made a different selection from the menu, but there is still only a single wavefunction.the wavefunction that Schrodinger sees is basically a combination of two "worlds", and when Schrodinger observes this, he just entangles with this wavefunction, after which, there's a Schrodinger that sees the dead cat, and a Schrodinger that sees the live cat; both Schrodingers are part of the universal wavefunction. — InPitzotl
Actually, in this mind experiment, Schrodinger sees a box. Not a wavefunction for what could potentially be a box.Schrodinger still sees a wavefunction. — InPitzotl
so which one of me tips the waiter? — Kaarlo Tuomi
Schrodinger only proposed this mind experiment to show how absurd the Copenhagen interpretation is — Olivier5
thank you for that link. actually I've just been reading about the Copenhagen interpretation on Wikipedia, and it seems that if I know where the waiter is I can't tip him anyway! — Kaarlo Tuomi
we assume the probability that I will pick any given flavour is equal, so that before I pick a flavour, I am assumed to have picked all ten flavours at once.
there is also the multiverse theory, which says that for every choice I make, there is an alternative universe in which I made some other choice.
so, if I am assumed to have picked all ten flavours at once, how many waiters do I have to tip? — Kaarlo Tuomi
So you can assume ten flavour timmy and a potentially infinite number of multiverses, but you can't figure out where the waiters fit in?! Interesting... — Key
that's because my wavefunction collapsed when I counted out the tip. — Kaarlo Tuomi
my understanding is that when the cat is in the box, the probability that it is alive equals the probability that it is dead, so the cat is considered to be both dead and alive at the same time.
and we do this precisely because the two probabilities are equal. — Kaarlo Tuomi
There must be something else that collapses that darn wave function... — Olivier5
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