The Many Computations Interpretation (MCI) of Quantum Mechanics
arXiv Preprint Archive September 4, 2007 via arXiv
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractComputationalism offers a framework for understanding how a mathematically describable physical world could produce conscious observations without dualism. A proposed criterion for how physical systems implement computations, combined with an independence criterion, could in principle predict observation probabilities by counting implementations. Applied to quantum mechanics, this yields a Many Computations Interpretation (MCI), an explicit form of the Everett-style Many Worlds Interpretation (MWI). Deriving the Born Rule is the central problem for realist interpretations of quantum mechanics. If the Born Rule follows from computationalism and the wavefunction, it would strongly support MWI; if not, it would indicate the need for new physics or a new philosophy of mind.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Quant-ph |
| Key finding | Proposes that a computationalist framework, with criteria for implementation and independence, yields a Many Computations Interpretation of quantum mechanics, an explicit form of the Many Worlds Interpretation, and that deriving the Born Rule is central to supporting or refuting this interpretation. |
Abstract
Computationalism provides a framework for understanding how a mathematically describable physical world could give rise to conscious observations without the need for dualism. A criterion is proposed for the implementation of computations by physical systems, which has been a problem for computationalism. Together with an independence criterion for implementations this would allow, in principle, prediction of probabilities for various observations based on counting implementations. Applied to quantum mechanics, this results in a Many Computations Interpretation (MCI), which is an explicit form of the Everett style Many Worlds Interpretation (MWI). Derivation of the Born Rule emerges as the central problem for most realist interpretations of quantum mechanics. If the Born Rule is derived based on computationalism and the wavefunction it would provide strong support for the MWI; but if the Born Rule is shown not to follow from these to an experimentally falsified extent, it would indicate the necessity for either new physics or (more radically) new philosophy of mind.