Clipmarks
Mohirfollowshare
8-18-2008 3:19 PM
554 views
Mohir says:
But physicists all the way back to Einstein have been unhappy with this idea. Einstein famously grumped, “God does not play dice.” And indeed, ever since the birth of quantum mechanics, some physicists have offered alternate interpretations of its equations that aim to get rid of this indeterminism. The most famous alternative is attributed to the physicist David Bohm, who argued in the 1950s that the behavior of subatomic particles is entirely determined by “hidden variables” that cannot be observed.

Conway and Kochen say this search is hopeless, and they claim to have proven that indeterminacy is inherent in the world itself, rather than just in quantum theory. And to Bohmians and other like-minded physicists, the pair says: Give up determinism, or give up free will. Even the tiniest bit of free will.
2 Comments   | Add a Comment
8-18-2008 3:58 PM
The REAL Napster
Freewill is the choice of intelligent beings who can decide between one or more options and then living with the consequences of said actions. If subatomic particles truly had free will, then chaos would ensue.

Instead we see structure, pattern, flow and order.
So I challenge this assertion.
8-18-2008 7:33 PM
Silkweaver
Interesting clip, thanks. I would add however that indeterminism is as disastrous to the possibility of free will as determinism is. Furthermore, the very definition of free will demands an intelligent agency that can deliberate between options. I do not see how this can fit into a subatomic world.
Login to Comment.  Not a member yet? Sign up
Embed This Clip In Your Site...

New from the makers of Clipmarks:  Amplify.com - Don't just share the news...Amplify it!

OK