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> unique IDs to each subatomic particle You only need one ID for each type of particle. Since the laws of physics dictate that the particles themselves are ind
by wavemode 8mo ago
> unique IDs to each subatomic particle
You only need one ID for each type of particle. Since the laws of physics dictate that the particles themselves are indistinguishable from each other.
- Drakim 8mo agoDon't they have different x,y,z positions?
- ForHackernews 8mo agoThat's unclear https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-electron_universe https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-electron_universe
- antonvs 8mo agoYes, but the issue is that they don't have identity. The idea of assigning unique identifiers to particles is doomed because, basically, "there are no particles, there are only fields" (https://arxiv.org/abs/1204.4616 https://arxiv.org/abs/1204.4616). Particles are how quantized fields present themselves when probed by localized interactions. In general, they're also observer-dependent. The idea of assigning an "ID" to an object reflects a macro-level notion of re-identifiable objects persisting through time. But at the quantum level, that kind of classical individuality - object identity - doesn't exist.
- kmoser 8mo agoJust because a given particle is indistinguishable from another of the same type doesn't mean they are the same actual thing. If you are assigning IDs to each item in the universe for accounting/inventory purposes, you'll still want a separate ID for each particle.