Does Everything Quantum Happen?
Most recent answer: 11/11/2013
- Zaprayanka (age 26)
Plovdiv, Bulgaria
We don't actually know the answer to that. The basic form of quantum mechanics, quantum field theory, obeys something called the superposition principle. That means that the output state is just the sum of whatever would come out of each part of the input state. If nothing interrupts that behavior, then indeed everything that could happen does happen. However, different parts of what happens lose the ability to communicate with each other, and thus become the "many worlds" of that interpretation of quantum mechanics. On the other hand, there are other interpretations (modern versions of the Copenhagen interpretation, the Bohm interpretation, the macro-realist interpretation, ....) in which only one of the many possibilities is realized. It is extraordinarily difficult, at best, to obtain conclusive evidence as to which interpretation is correct. Many of us have favorites, but we can't convince each other.
Mike W.
(published on 11/11/2013)