Brian MarickMay 27

I’ve written what I hope is both a lay-friendly and roughly accurate explanation of the big 1920s debate¹ between (especially) Einstein and Bohr about causality in quantum mechanics. Possibly because I’m a failed physics major, I’d be more bothered than usual if I got things wrong.

So if you have technical or historical knowledge, I’d love for you to give me corrections for https://blog.oddly-influenced.dev/binary/ before it goes live. Thanks.

¹ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bohr%E2%80%93Einstein_debates

#physics #ScienceHistory

binary

What’s up with quantum mechanics? (36 Views of Mount CritRat) ⊕ Split this off from the real final post so that it’s more easily skippable. Use perseveration as a somewhat rude analogy? I mean, we all do it. About this series

Show threadSpoofer3
@marick I cannot really add to the validity of any of the article. I gather that some physicists are into many worlds interpretation and that string theory continues to be worked on and matured. And people like Daniel Harlow are working towards a theory that includes gravity.
Many-worlds interpretation - Wikipedia

May 27 at 11:22pmWeb
Show threadBrian MarickMay 28
@Spoofer3 Yes, I’m leaning heavily on “most scientists do Copenhagen interpretation” and omitting others. That because my theory is that Popper, like so many intellectuals, is endlessly reiterating an obsession with an old controversy – a general fighting the last war. (His book came out in 1933, so it seems to have been intended to intervene in the Einstein-camp / Bohr-camp debates. Which he was still doing in 1965… and 1985.)
Show threadBrian MarickMay 28

@Spoofer3 Oh and: congratulations. You are one of “we few, we happy few, we band of brothers” who read the piece. I’m pretty sure the audience is going to top out at you, me, and Dawn.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjZWL3bq8gw

Henry V - St.Crispin's Day Speech

YouTube
Show threadSpoofer3May 28
@marick Good company.
Show threadSpoofer3May 28
@marick Sean Carroll just released a solo podcast on quantum and has a description of the Copenhagen interpretation in the first 15 minutes or so, https://www.preposterousuniverse.com/podcast/2026/05/25/355-solo-looking-quantum-mechanics-in-the-eyeball/
355 | Solo: Looking Quantum Mechanics in the Eyeball – Sean Carroll