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shminux comments on [SEQ RERUN] Spooky Action at a Distance - Less Wrong Discussion

2 Post author: MinibearRex 26 April 2012 04:34AM

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Comment author: shminux 26 April 2012 08:33:23PM 2 points [-]

The form of MWI advocated there is (I think) the best interpretation available for non-relativistic QM.

That's a matter of taste, since there is no way to resolve this except on aesthetic grounds.

However, many of the basic lessons of the sequence no longer apply when we are dealing with QFT.

Indeed. Including the quote in the OP, which makes no sense as stated.

our best bet is to build a broadly MWI-like non-collapse interpretation for QFT

Or else, dispense with interpretations and do physics instead.

Comment author: pragmatist 26 April 2012 08:54:53PM *  3 points [-]

That's a matter of taste, since there is no way to resolve this except on aesthetic grounds.

MWI is not empirically equivalent to all other interpretations of QM. It makes different predictions from the Copenhagen interpretation, for instance. Even if this were not the case, we distinguish between empirically equivalent theories on scientific grounds all the time. Neo-Lorentzian theory is empirically equivalent to the special theory of relativity, but I think (and most scientists agree) that there are good non-empirical grounds for preferring the special theory. You may call these criteria "aesthetic", but that doesn't alter the fact that they are part of the standard explanatory toolbox of physics.

Or else, dispense with interpretations and do physics instead.

Part of doing physics is figuring out the actual structure of our universe, and interpreting QFT is crucial to that task. Physics isn't just about doing calculations.

Comment author: Oscar_Cunningham 26 April 2012 09:39:37PM 2 points [-]

Part of doing physics is figuring out the actual structure of our universe, and interpreting QFT is crucial to that task. Physics isn't just about doing calculations.

I agree with you, but I'd like to note the irony of this against your username.

Comment author: pragmatist 27 April 2012 12:02:13AM 2 points [-]

If you think that's ironic, you should see how I live my life.

Comment author: shminux 26 April 2012 09:36:57PM 1 point [-]

This particular dead horse has been pounded into dust already, so I'll disengage.

Comment author: pragmatist 26 April 2012 09:57:06PM 2 points [-]

You're right. I have had this discussion with you a number of times before. I'm not very good at keeping track of usernames, so I didn't realize this. Sorry, I didn't mean to come across as tediously piling on.