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MWI provides a clear, comprehensive explanation for all of the “weird” quantum phenomenon. Beyond that, this quote from FoR [1] convinced me: “To those who sti

MWI provides a clear, comprehensive explanation for all of the “weird” quantum phenomenon. Beyond that, this quote from FoR [1] convinced me: “To those who still cling to a single-universe world-view, I issue this challenge: explain how Shor’s algorithm works. I do not merely mean predict that it will work, which is merely a matter of solving a few uncontroversial equations. I mean provide an explanation. When Shor’s algorithm has factorized a number, using 10^500 or so times the computational resources than can be seen to be present, where was the number factorized? There are only about 10^80 atoms in the entire visible universe, an utterly minuscule number compared with 10^500. So if the visible universe were the extent of physical reality, physical reality would not even remotely contain the resources required to factorize such a large number. Who did factorize it, then? How, and where, was the computation performed?” [1] https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2011/05/02/dream-machine/amp https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2011/05/02/dream-machine/...

jbay808 7y ago
I'm sorry to downvote you, but I think this is both a misrepresentation of MWI and a distraction from the conversation that we're trying to have.
kgwgk 7y ago
"Interpretations of quantum mechanics, unlike Gods, are not jealous, and thus it is safe to believe in more than one at the same time. So if the many-worlds interpretation makes it easier to think about the research you’re doing in April, and the Copenhagen interpretation makes it easier to think about the research you’re doing in June, the Copenhagen interpretation is not going to smite you for praying to the many-worlds interpretation. At least I hope it won’t, because otherwise I’m in big trouble." - Peter Shor (https://www.scottaaronson.com/blog/?p=218#comment-5753 https://www.scottaaronson.com/blog/?p=218#comment-5753)
kgwgk 7y ago
If one die can have 6 values, how is it possible that two identical dice have 21 configurations? Where are those additional configurations coming from if there are only 12 possible values in the pair of dice?
lisper 7y ago
This is a stupid argument, comparable to "if humans evolved from apes why are there still apes?" An analogous question: when three objects are orbiting each other in space, where is the computation being performed that provides the solution to the three-body problem that represents their motions? Well, obviously, the computation in the latter case is being "performed" by the three bodies themselves, and the Shor computation is being performed inside a quantum computer that exists in our universe. It's just that the stuff that is performing the computation isn't atoms, it's entangled qbits. There's no need to bring entire parallel universes into it.
- ridewinter 7y ago
  Can you explain how qbits work then? How exactly do they take on multiple values at the same time?
  - lisper 7y ago
    Not in an HN comment, but there's a lot of material available on the internet. Search for "introduction to quantum computing."

jbay808 7y ago

I'm sorry to downvote you, but I think this is both a misrepresentation of MWI and a distraction from the conversation that we're trying to have.

kgwgk 7y ago

"Interpretations of quantum mechanics, unlike Gods, are not jealous, and thus it is safe to believe in more than one at the same time. So if the many-worlds interpretation makes it easier to think about the research you’re doing in April, and the Copenhagen interpretation makes it easier to think about the research you’re doing in June, the Copenhagen interpretation is not going to smite you for praying to the many-worlds interpretation. At least I hope it won’t, because otherwise I’m in big trouble." - Peter Shor (https://www.scottaaronson.com/blog/?p=218#comment-5753 https://www.scottaaronson.com/blog/?p=218#comment-5753)

kgwgk 7y ago

If one die can have 6 values, how is it possible that two identical dice have 21 configurations? Where are those additional configurations coming from if there are only 12 possible values in the pair of dice?

lisper 7y ago

This is a stupid argument, comparable to "if humans evolved from apes why are there still apes?" An analogous question: when three objects are orbiting each other in space, where is the computation being performed that provides the solution to the three-body problem that represents their motions? Well, obviously, the computation in the latter case is being "performed" by the three bodies themselves, and the Shor computation is being performed inside a quantum computer that exists in our universe. It's just that the stuff that is performing the computation isn't atoms, it's entangled qbits. There's no need to bring entire parallel universes into it.

ridewinter 7y ago
Can you explain how qbits work then? How exactly do they take on multiple values at the same time?
- lisper 7y ago
  Not in an HN comment, but there's a lot of material available on the internet. Search for "introduction to quantum computing."