[extropy-chat] Many worlds and Hugh Everett

[Dirk Bruere]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John K Clark" <jonkc at att.net>
To: "Dirk Bruere" <dirk at neopax.com>; "ExI chat list"
<extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org>
Sent: Tuesday, December 30, 2003 9:26 PM
Subject: Re: [extropy-chat] Many worlds and Hugh Everett


> "Dirk Bruere" <dirk at neopax.com> Wrote:
>
> > As it stands the interpretation can only be verified subjectively, and
> >only  if true.
>
> In a  book called "The Ghost In The Atom" David Deutsch does give what
> he considers a definitive test of the Many World Interpretation and
> a Quantum Computer is part of it, but it must be intelligent.
>
> In the Deutsch test a conscious quantum computer shoots electrons at a
metal
> plate that has 2 small slits in it. It does this one at a time. After
> leaving the plate the electrons hit a photographic film, but do not look
at
> the photograph until later.  The quantum mind has detectors near each slit
> so it knows which slit the various electrons went through. The quantum
mind
> now signs a document saying that it has observed each and every electron
> and knows what slit each electron went through.  It is very important that
> the document does not say which slit the electron went through, it only
> says that they went through one slit only, and the mind has knowledge
> of which one. Now the mind uses quantum erasure to completely destroy
> his memory of the experiment. The only part remaining is the document.
> Now develop the photographic plate and look at it. According to Deutsch
> if you see interference bands then the many world interpretation is
correct.
> If you do not see interference bands then there are no worlds but this one
> and the conventional interpretation is correct.


I have the feeling that the mere existence of that document will screw the
expt.
Consider it a generalisation of the erased data.
Which highlights another 'grey area' of knowledge v data. It may be that
(somehow) QM can 'sense' data being converted to knowledge.

Dirk

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