In quantum physics, particles exist in many states at once until you measure them. Can reality really work that way?
Does reality exist when we're not looking? : Read more
Does reality exist when we're not looking? : Read more
The term "measurement" is a leftover from the early days when it was their only contact with their experimental results. I agree that it's now an outdated term with misleading connotations too often taken far beyond its actual meaning. In a modern sense, "measurement" of a system has to include any interaction with another one, since that seems to be the only way around the ridiculously egocentric attitude it otherwise implies.I think there's a misunderstanding of "measurement". Really all it is is expanding of a quantum state. Think of it this way: Everytime there is a quantum interaction those two states "merge" into a larger state. Outside of these states we can only describe them by the quantum field. But once we're inside them they collapse. This is "measuring" them since we're now in the same state. That's all there is.
"Can reality work that way".In quantum physics, particles exist in many states at once until you measure them. Can reality really work that way?
Does reality exist when we're not looking? : Read more
"Can reality work that way".
How do we define "reality"? We believe what we perceive to be real and define what we perceive by sets of characteristics and their behaviors.
This assignment of characteristics exists by perception. If no one ever observed an unknown phenomena either directly or by theoretical inference; how can it be said that phenomena exists?
Even though unicorns only exist through the imaginary, the concept of exists just like flight and other inventions did. They are measured by the power of observation even if they exist purely theoretical. We understand purely imaginary concepts like philosophy, stock markets and national boundaries to be real?
So there's the universe. We're looking at it. Because we're looking at it we can say it's there.
We can imagine if all humanity and life on earth were extinct that the universe would be there.
We can only imagine that because we are here observing it right now.
We're part of the system that we're trying to observe. We're made up of aggregates of particles which are in continuous interaction with the world, even the so-called isolated experiments. There is an element of subjectivity that cannot be removed. Even if all scientists agree on the results of an experiment, this does not mean the results are "objective". It's like trying to guess what a room looks like from the outside when one has always been in the room and has no conception of a room.