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From: susan@logcam.co.uk (Susan Stepney)
Subject: Copenhagen interpretation (was: Re: Is Penrose Right?)
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References: <201348657wnr@smithg.demon.co.uk> <Pine.SUN.3.90.950927215819.3470A-100000@LAHS.LosAlamos.K12.nm.us> <44h4qs$9g3@newsflash.concordia.ca> <51701135wnr@smithg.demon.co.uk>
Date: Mon, 2 Oct 1995 12:55:10 GMT
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In article <51701135wnr@smithg.demon.co.uk>, Chris Gordon-Smith
<Chris@smithg.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>
[snip]
> 
> With regard to quantum mechanics, he's in good company. Einstein, 
> Schroedinger and Karl Popper (to name but a few) found the Copenhagen
> interpretation very difficult to accept. There are good reasons for believing 
> that quantum mechanics needs to be overhauled.
> 
[snip]

The Copehagen interpretation is not quantum mechanics,
it is just an *interpretation* --- a (not very satisfactory)
way of trying to explain the mathematics in physical terms.

There are other possible interpretations.  It is true that the
current ones have other difficulties (such as rather a lot of universes,
or travel backwards in time, for example) --- but they have none of this
collapsing wavefunctions stuff.

It is not even necessary to have an interpretation at all!

So the Copenhagen interpretation can be ditched without
having to "overhaul" quantum mechanics.

_________________________________________________________________________
Susan Stepney                                          susan@logcam.co.uk
Logica UK Ltd, Cambridge Division, Betjeman House,    tel +44 1223 366343
104 Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 1LQ, UK             http://www.logica.com/
