For questions about epistemology in the context of physics - what knowledge is, and how we arrive at it.
Questions tagged [epistemology]
44 questions
65
votes
10 answers
What is the difference between a measurement and any other interaction in quantum mechanics?
We've learned that the wave function of a particle collapses when we measure a particle's location. If it is found, it becomes more probable to find it a again in the same area, and if not the probability to finding it in the place that was checked…
Uri
- 2,130
35
votes
12 answers
Why can't the outcome of a QM measurement be calculated a-priori?
Quantum Mechanics is very successful in determining the overall statistical distribution of many measurements of the same process.
On the other hand, it is completely clueless in determining the outcome of a single measurement. It can only describe…
Sklivvz
- 13,829
22
votes
6 answers
Is there a difference between observing a particle and hitting it with another particle?
First, let me state that I'm a lot less experienced with physics than most people here. Quantum mechanics was as far as I got and that was about 9 years ago, with no use in the meantime.
A lot of people seem to think that the act of observing the…
jcollum
- 323
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20
votes
4 answers
How do we choose between two scientific ideas when both aren't yet falsified?
Consider a leading theory for a phenomenon, then how are new theories shown to be better while both remain unfalsified?
MinigameZ more
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12
votes
8 answers
Is the Copenhagen interpretation falsifiable?
According to the Copenhagen interpretation, physical systems generally do not have definite properties prior to being measured. The Schrödinger's cat is both dead and alive, until an observation is made.
Is this interpretation falsifiable? If it's…
asmani
- 530
11
votes
8 answers
Can laws of physics suddenly change?
At the present time, we have a collection of variables and laws that describe, maybe in a non deterministic fashion, the evolution of the universe.
Is it possible that these laws suddenly change? Say, for example, that the sign of an interaction…
Andrea Marino
- 267
11
votes
1 answer
Why does math work for describing and solving physics problems?
The clarified version
As far as I understand, Wigner considers a "miracle" the fact that it is even possible to find a mathematical equation that describes a natural phenomenon.
It is not exactly what I was wondering about though.
Lets say such an…
Myk
- 221
9
votes
3 answers
In what way are the Mathematical universe hypothesis and A New Kind of Science connected
The Mathematical universe hypothesis, mainly by Max Tegmark and A new Kind of Science, mainly by Stephen Wolfram both claim (as least as I understand it) that at its innermost core reality is mathematics.
Can this statement be made more precise,…
vonjd
- 3,801
9
votes
8 answers
Can a scientific theory ever be absolutely proven?
I personally cringe when people talk about scientific theories in the same way we talk about everyday theories.
I was under the impression a scientific theory is similar to a mathematical proof; however a friend of mine disagreed.
He said that you…
Joseph
- 209
9
votes
6 answers
Is the wave function objective or subjective?
Here is a question I am curious about.
Is the wave function objective or subjective, or is such a question meaningless?
Conventionally, subjectivity is as follows: if a quantity is subjective then it is possible for two different people to…
Weissman
- 107
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8
votes
1 answer
The problem of measurement in general relativity
I am looking for a good selection of articles and books on the topic of measurements in general relativity. The only one I'm really aware of is Reichenbach's "The Philosophy of Space and Time", which is fairly a fairly old one by now (1928) and does…
Slereah
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6
votes
4 answers
Is there anything physically infinite?
I can't think of a single thing that could be infinite.
Because the universe is expanding, isn't it? But there is an ever-changing barrier, so why could there be anything infinite, both hypothetically and realistically?
user24357
5
votes
1 answer
How can a superdeterministic theory ever match Quantum Mechanic's predictions?
Superdeterminism says that we can observe violations from Bell's constraint for local hidden variable theories, if we assume the measurement choices are correlated, which they must be in a deterministic theory where all measurement choices are…
Ryder Rude
- 6,915
4
votes
5 answers
Why can mathematical equations describe this world?
Since I want to understand the world, I learn physics from textbooks. But I feel there is a gap between the textbook and the world. I do not know
why the equations in the textbook can control the whole world? How can I bridge the gap? In research,…
Eden Harder
- 910
4
votes
7 answers
Experimental exactness of Schrödinger equation for more than 100 particles
A question from a mathematician far from physics :)
I have heard that Schrödinger equation for $n$ particles is hard in the following sense:
If $n$ is enough big then there is no computer which can give a numerical approximation of the solution to…
GSM
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