[analytic-borders] Conceivable; but, Implausible
November 8th, 2007, search relatedRelated posts :: [analytic-borders] Conceivable; but, Implausible :: KANT’S PLAIN SPEAKING** :: earliest references to “Analytic-Continental” division? :: earliest references to “Analytic-Continental” division?
Kelvin Mcqueen wrote:
> Quoting Joseph Polanik :
>>it seems to me that the von Neumann interpretation of quantum
>>mechanics would rule out the possibility of a parallel zombie universe
>>since zombies would be unable to collapse a wave function.
> Why would a zombie be unable to collapse the wave function??
according to von Neumann, the quantum system under observation, the
experimental apparatuss, the body and brain of the experimenter; and,
indeed, the entire physical universe is subject to the Schrodinger
equation. thus, there is nothing physical to collapse the wave function.
what does collapse the wave function?
according to von Neumann, it is the experimenter’s abstract “ego” that
collapses the wave function.
[Note: ‘abstract “ego”‘ is not the best translation of the german
original, ‘abstraktes ,,Ich”‘ which literally means the abstract ‘I’]
I’ll grant you that von Neumann was a little vague as to what the
abstract ‘I’ is; but, he was clear as to what it is not. it is not
physical; because, everything physical is subject to the Schrodinger
equation; and, something outside the jurisdiction of the Schrodinger
equation is required to collapse the wave function.
zombies are defined to be physically identical to humans; but,
completely devoid of any phenomenal awareness or subjective experience
whatsoever. so, can you explain how could a zombie collapse a wave
function without assuming that von Neumann is wrong?
Joe
–
Philosophy is, after all, done ultimately in the first person for the
first person. — H-N Castaneda
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http://what-am-i.net
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