Talk:Wavefunction collapse
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I'm currently interested in sorting out the various problems with Measurement in quantum mechanics; as part of this, I suggest swapping over some content between this article and that, specifically making this page (with its more technical title) a repository for the mathematical details; see Talk:Measurement in quantum mechanics for more. Bth 19:00, 14 Oct 2004 (UTC)
This conceptually can be combined with the article on Quantum operations. Admittedly that article is quite technical, but I eventually will put in a more expository introduction.CSTAR 20:09, 14 Oct 2004 (UTC)
[edit] Afshar experiment
I have removed the section on the Afshar experiment. This now has its own article, and I'm consolidating the same information which has ended up on several Quantum mechanics pages. Samboy 10:04, 21 Dec 2004 (UTC)
[edit] Two Copenhagen interpretations?
I don't believe there are two Copenhagen interpretations; one where the wave function is real and another where it is not real. Also, the word 'real' is misleading here since the wave function exists in the complex plane and has both 'real' and imaginary parts. The issue is whether the wave function has a direct physical interpretation, and as far as I know, within the CI, it does not (other than the Born Rule). I have not corrected the text (yet). I suggest the original author do so. green 65.88.65.217 06:10, 3 February 2006 (UTC)
I corrected the text discussed above. After further consideration, I agree that two CI's exist, but they were not, imo, defined clearly in the previous text. green 65.88.65.217 08:05, 3 February 2006 (UTC)
There well may be two CIs (probably more, since it so ill-defined, but whatever), with differing interpretations of what the wavefunction is, but in all such CIs the wavefunction still collapses. The significance of wavefunction collapse will be lessened by the extent to which the wavefunction is not regarded as physical, but the collapse still occurs. I suggest someone changes the article to reflect this.Michael C Price 19:56, 22 May 2006 (UTC)
- The "collapse" of the wave function is really just a metaphor. A way of thinking. There is no mechanical like relationship between the wave function and the experimental data. But if you like thinking in mechanical terms you could imagine the wave function as collapsing, ie. yielding the experimental data. But if you don't require a mechanical picture then the "collapse" metaphor isn't necessary. Remember, CI was addressed to a classical audience - with fairly ingrained philosophical assumptions about causality and determinism. It's almost a hundred years since CI yet many of us are still trying to push quantum theory back into a pre 20th century context to which it never belonged in the first place. CI is an interpretation for the benefit of classical thought - not for the benefit of quantum theory. --220.101.184.56 23:53, 22 May 2006 (UTC)
- Very good points all. It seems to me that CI encompasses a range of interpretations about what the wavefunction is (from just information to a physical field), but that collapse still happens. Even in classical physics collapse still happens, it just that the classical model collapse is entirely a mental readjustment of your knowledge of the world, and hence it never had importance until QM came along. I think the page needs to say this. --Michael C Price 05:53, 23 May 2006 (UTC)
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- Article updated as indicated. --Michael C Price 20:42, 23 May 2006 (UTC)
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- "The 'collapse' of the wave function is really just a metaphor. A way of thinking. There is no mechanical like relationship between the wave function and the experimental data. But if you like thinking in mechanical terms you could imagine the wave function as collapsing, ie. yielding the experimental data." This is how I viewed wavefunction collapse, but then again I haven't formally learned about it yet. I think that the article would benefit from something along these lines to be put in the intro, because after readit the existing one, I am no closeer to understanding the the event. --HantaVirus 15:15, 27 July 2006 (UTC)
