Maybe I misunderstand the setup. I thought that in this model the state of one’s life at 10am is determined by averaging over all the remaining copies in all branches, including those on the alien ship from 9am. As you keep trying to suicide, you fade out of your existence on Earth and into the ship. Did I get the setup it wrong?
As you keep trying to suicide, you fade out of your existence on Earth and into the ship. Did I get the setup it wrong?
Very much so, as far as I understand. Indeed, if it worked the way you suggest, presumably we’d be fading in and out of places all the time as the wavefunction evolves, rather than having a single coherent conscious experience.
I can’t math, but as I understand it, branches merge only when they happen to become identical. So, unless your earthbound suicide attempts end up putting you in a situation physically indistiguishable from your MWI-cousin on an alien ship, you won’t merge.
Maybe I misunderstand the setup. I thought that in this model the state of one’s life at 10am is determined by averaging over all the remaining copies in all branches, including those on the alien ship from 9am. As you keep trying to suicide, you fade out of your existence on Earth and into the ship. Did I get the setup it wrong?
Very much so, as far as I understand. Indeed, if it worked the way you suggest, presumably we’d be fading in and out of places all the time as the wavefunction evolves, rather than having a single coherent conscious experience.
And how would we tell?
I’d appreciate if you point me to the setup you are working with.
I can’t math, but as I understand it, branches merge only when they happen to become identical. So, unless your earthbound suicide attempts end up putting you in a situation physically indistiguishable from your MWI-cousin on an alien ship, you won’t merge.