In quantum field theory, all possible
trajectories of the single photon through the slits are objectively real, like
Schrödinger’s cat, which is both alive and dead at the same time, until you
open the box. There is however one main alternative theory to the Copenhagen
interpretation and this is something people might have heard of because it has
been quite publicized by some science fiction shows and TV science popularisers.
The many-worlds interpretation, posited by physicist and military scientist, Hugh Everett III, states that the wave function doesn’t actually collapse at all when a measurement of the position of the photon or other quantum object is made. Instead, what happens for instance when you open Schrödinger’s box, is that two realities are created, one where the cat is dead and one where it is alive. In that sense, the wave function is eternal and never truly collapses. Everett believed the whole universe was a single quantum wave which never collapses but just eternally branches out into ‘different worlds’. So for every photon or subatomic particle in the universe, there must be different universes where all the near infinite possibilities are expressed.[i] Believe it or not there are real scientists who believe this. For me, thinking like this is like following Ignacio de Loyola’s Spiritual Exercises, it’s a good way to induce auto-psychosis, or in other words, go insane.
Everett was scorned by fellow scientists at the time, but in recent times his theory has gained acceptance among people who really should know better. Everett believed in something called quantum immortality, which is a very strange kind of fabricated scientific thesis to allow him and indeed, everyone, to live forever. In his quantum immortality theory, he believed that because his many worlds theory of parallel universes, meant that things such as quantum particles were forever branching off to enter new universes, his consciousness too, would follow a path, eternally branching off into different universes, so as to always take the path that avoided death. So presumably he believed that on his deathbed, he would suddenly find himself in his own body, alive, but in a different universe, and this would presumably happen forever.
It does seem a particularly desperate way to gain the immortality of your soul, by inventing outlandish scientific and by definition, completely unprovable theories, when by definition, science prides itself on being provable. There are easier ways to find out about life after death and they are simply by reading the words of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
It would make a pretty good science fiction story I guess, following someone through different near-death experiences, and finding himself reset at a different point, each time, and I wonder if it has been done yet. It would have a kind of Philip K Dick flavour perhaps, or it could be a scientist who somehow creates a device which allows him to escape death and live forever by switching between different universes. Everett would theorise about playing Russian roulette, and that if he shot himself his consciousness would then enter a different branch of the ‘many worlds’ and survive, presumably he believed he could eternally shoot himself in the head and his consciousness would always find itself in the winning branch with the gun still in his hand and holding a gun where the bullet is always in a different chamber. In fact, that iconic image of John McAfee holding a gun to his head, was part of an interview with Wired where he goes into his own theories about so called quantum suicide.
This is from a Sun article reporting on the Wired article, it’s clearly an example of second-hand news but I suppose it’s at least encouraging that the Sun is covering something like this which is somewhat outside their usual range of interests, not that I’ve really read a copy of the Sun since I used to deliver them on my paper round.
