Yvain comments on 2012 Survey Results - Less Wrong

80 Post author: Yvain 07 December 2012 09:04PM

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Comment author: shminux 29 November 2012 07:50:13PM *  2 points [-]

Are people who understand quantum mechanics are more likely to believe in Many Worlds? We perform a t-test, checking whether one's probability of the MWI being true depends on whether or not one can solve the Schrodinger Equation. People who could solve the equation had on average a 54.3% probability of MWI, compared to 51.3% in those who could not. The p-value is 0.26; there is a 26% probability this occurs by chance. Therefore, we fail to establish that people's probability of MWI varies with understanding of quantum mechanics.

Just wanted to point out a few fallacies in the above:

  • "can solve the Schrodinger Equation" means nothing or less without specifying the problem you are solving. The two simplest problems taught in a modern physics course, the free particle and a one-dimensional infinite square well are hardly comparable with, say, calculating the MRI parameters.

  • self-reporting "can solve the Schrodinger Equation" does not mean one actually can.

  • even then, "can solve the Schrodinger Equation" does not mean "understand quantum mechanics", as it does not require one to understand measurement and decoherence, which is what motivates MWI in the first place.

  • there are many versions of MWI, from literal ("the Universe split into two or more every time something happens") to Platonic ("Mathematical Universe").

Basically, I hope that you realize that this is a prime example of "garbage in, garbage out". I suppose it's a good thing that there was no correlation, otherwise one might draw some unwarranted conclusions from this.

Comment author: Yvain 30 November 2012 04:25:54AM 3 points [-]

The actual survey specified "can solve the Schrodinger equation for a hydrogen atom". Although it is not exactly synonymous with "understands quantum mechanics", you would expect them to be highly correlated.

Comment author: shminux 30 November 2012 04:49:31PM 2 points [-]

The actual survey specified "can solve the Schrodinger equation for a hydrogen atom".

Right, sorry, I forgot that qualifier since the time I took the survey. It does imply more familiarity with the underlying math than the simplest possible cases. Still, I recall that when I was at that level, I was untroubled by the foundational issues, just being happy to have mastered the math.

Although it is not exactly synonymous with "understands quantum mechanics", you would expect them to be highly correlated

I wonder if there is a way to test this assertion. One would presumably start by defining what "understands quantum mechanics" means.

Comment author: nshepperd 01 December 2012 04:50:27PM *  3 points [-]

When I was learning to solve the hydrogen atom, they didn't even talk about the foundational issues, just waved it off with some wave-particle duality nonsense. But still, it seems like as good a criterion as you're going to get, unless you want to ask if people have a Master in Physics (Quantum).

Comment author: shminux 01 December 2012 07:18:13PM 2 points [-]

I suppose that a better question would be related to the EPR paradox, but I'm not sure what academic course would cover it.