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A thought experiment in many worlds

Gao, Shan (2020) A thought experiment in many worlds. [Preprint]

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Abstract

The many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics (MWI) is based on three key assumptions: (1) the completeness of the physical description by means of the wave function, (2) the linearity of the dynamics for the wave function, and (3) multiplicity. In this paper, I propose a new thought experiment in which a post-measurement superposition undergoes no net change while individual branches do change under certain unitary time evolution. Moreover, I argue that MWI gives contradictory predictions for this experiment. In order to avoid the contradiction and save many worlds, it seems that we must drop one or both of the first two assumptions.


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Item Type: Preprint
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCID
Gao, Shansgao7319@uni.sydney.edu.au
Keywords: quantum mechanics; many worlds; thought experiment
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Physics > Quantum Mechanics
General Issues > Thought Experiments
Depositing User: Prof. Shan Gao
Date Deposited: 20 Feb 2020 03:43
Last Modified: 20 Feb 2020 03:43
Item ID: 16932
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Physics > Quantum Mechanics
General Issues > Thought Experiments
Date: 19 February 2020
URI: https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/16932

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