Everett's Many Worlds Interpretation Of Quantum Theory Through Systemic Functional Linguistics [3]

Gribbin (1990: 237-8, 239):

The equations of quantum mechanics tell us that inside the box of Schrödinger's famous thought experiment there are versions of a "live cat" and "dead cat" wave function that are equally real.  The conventional, Copenhagen interpretation looks at these possibilities from a different perspective, and says, in effect, that both wave functions are equally unreal, and that only one of them crystallises as reality when we look inside the box.  Everett's interpretation accepts the quantum equations entirely at face value and says that both cats are real.  There is a live cat, and there is a dead cat; but they are located in different worlds.  It is not that the radioactive atom inside the box either did or didn't decay, but that it did both.  Faced with a decision, the whole world — the universe — split into two versions of itself, identical in all respects except that in one version the atom decayed and the cat died, while in the other the atom did not decay and the cat lived.  It sounds like science fiction, but it goes far deeper than any science fiction, and it is based on impeccable mathematical equations, a consistent and logical consequence of taking quantum mechanics literally. …

Everett's world is one of many concrete realities, where all the worlds are equally real … .  But Everett's version is science fact, not science fiction.

Blogger Comments:

From the perspective of Systemic Functional Linguistic theory, the equations of quantum mechanics tell us that "live cat" and "dead cat" are potential meanings ("possibilities") only.  The Copenhagen interpretation is consistent with this view, if 'unreal' is interpreted as 'potential', and if 'crystallising as reality' is interpreted as the instantiation of potential when an observation is made.

Everett's interpretation that 'both cats are real' mistakes potential for instances: potential cats for the cat, potential universes for the universe.  It demonstrates that the misinterpretation of the most "impeccable mathematical equations" can, indeed, result in science fiction.