dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaConcerning Dice and Divinity
| Authors | D. M. Appleby |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | quant-ph/0611261 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/0611261 |
| DOI | 10.1063/1.2713444 |
Abstract
Einstein initially objected to the probabilistic aspect of quantum mechanics - the idea that God is playing at dice. Later he changed his ground, and focussed instead on the point that the Copenhagen Interpretation leads to what Einstein saw as the abandonment of physical realism. We argue here that Einstein's initial intuition was perfectly sound, and that it is precisely the fact that quantum mechanics is a fundamentally probabilistic theory which is at the root of all the controversies regarding its interpretation. Probability is an intrinsically logical concept. This means that the quantum state has an essentially logical significance. It is extremely difficult to reconcile that fact with Einstein's belief, that it is the task of physics to give us a vision of the world apprehended sub specie aeternitatis. Quantum mechanics thus presents us with a simple choice: either to follow Einstein in looking for a theory which is not probabilistic at the fundamental level, or else to accept that physics does not in fact put us in the position of God looking down on things from above. There is a widespread fear that the latter alternative must inevitably lead to a greatly impoverished, positivistic view of physical theory. It appears to us, however, that the truth is just the opposite. The Einsteinian vision is much less attractive than it seems at first sight. In particular, it is closely connected with philosophical reductionism.
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"abstract": "Einstein initially objected to the probabilistic aspect of quantum mechanics\n- the idea that God is playing at dice. Later he changed his ground, and\nfocussed instead on the point that the Copenhagen Interpretation leads to what\nEinstein saw as the abandonment of physical realism. We argue here that\nEinstein\u0027s initial intuition was perfectly sound, and that it is precisely the\nfact that quantum mechanics is a fundamentally probabilistic theory which is at\nthe root of all the controversies regarding its interpretation. Probability is\nan intrinsically logical concept. This means that the quantum state has an\nessentially logical significance. It is extremely difficult to reconcile that\nfact with Einstein\u0027s belief, that it is the task of physics to give us a vision\nof the world apprehended sub specie aeternitatis. Quantum mechanics thus\npresents us with a simple choice: either to follow Einstein in looking for a\ntheory which is not probabilistic at the fundamental level, or else to accept\nthat physics does not in fact put us in the position of God looking down on\nthings from above. There is a widespread fear that the latter alternative must\ninevitably lead to a greatly impoverished, positivistic view of physical\ntheory. It appears to us, however, that the truth is just the opposite. The\nEinsteinian vision is much less attractive than it seems at first sight. In\nparticular, it is closely connected with philosophical reductionism.",
"arxiv_id": "quant-ph/0611261",
"authors": [
"D. M. Appleby"
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"doi": "10.1063/1.2713444",
"title": "Concerning Dice and Divinity",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/0611261"
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