[ExI] Many Worlds (was: A Simulation Argument)

[Damien Broderick]

At 04:53 PM 1/9/2008 -0600, Bryan wrote:

> > If you read:
> >   Path integrals and quantum interference
> >   A. O. Barut and S. Basri
> >   Amer. Jour. Physics, Vol. 60, n 10, pp. 896-899, (1992)
>
>Also try the Feynman and Hibbs path integral book.

Where we read:

"The concept of interfering alternatives is fundamental to all of 
quantum mechanics.... suppose that information about the alternatives 
is available (or could be made available without altering the 
result), but this information is not used. Nevertheless, in this case 
a sum of probabilities (in the ordinary sense) must be carried out 
over exclusive alternatives. These exclusive alternatives are those 
which could have been separately identified by the information." (p.14)

"...there is a quantity called a probability amplitude associated 
with every method whereby an event in nature can take place... we can 
associate an amplitude with the overall event by adding together the 
amplitudes of each alternative method... Next, we interpret the 
absolute square of the overall amplitude as the probability that the 
event will happen." (p. 19)

So yes, Serafino, "that [is] a mixture of MWI and path integral 
formalism"... to my untutored eye.

The dreaded Sarfatti comments, without providing a reference to Albert:

<David Albert has shown that one can beat the Heisenberg uncertainty 
principle for special pairs of incompatible observables in a 
"self-measurement" which also involves "photographs of other worlds" 
violating the dogma of Everett's original meta-theory of "many 
worlds" for the meaning of quantum mechanics. Everett mistakenly 
assumed that conscious observers could never be aware of their 
parallel selves in the "universes next door". >

Damien Broderick