Bob wrote: I prefer to think that the wavefunction is real, but it is a function over potential configurations, only one of which is real. Superposition reflects the influence of other physically equivalent configurations. I would not call my interpretation a “collapse” interpretation. The wavefunction is always there, in the sense that nature “knows” the probability amplitude for points in configuration space other than the that represented by the real state of the universe.
Bob, I’m having a hard time assigning semantics to your words. What does it even mean, in general, for a mere “potential” non-real thing (like your configurations), to influence the “real” world? What is reality, other than things that affect the real world? How can a “potential” thing cause real effects in the real world?
What does it mean for there to be a “probability amplitude” for non-real things? If they are non-real, wouldn’t their probability (of “being real”, presumably) be zero? What is that a probability of, if it isn’t of reality?
I know the meanings of the individual words you’ve written, but the way you put them together sounds like nonsense. “Colorless green ideas sleep furiously”, that sort of thing. Your theory doesn’t seem “wrong” to me, so much as not even meaningful.
If I’m mistaken, perhaps you can help me out by explaining what it might mean for something to not be “real”, and yet to affect “reality”. That seems to be an inherent contradiction to me.
Bob wrote: I prefer to think that the wavefunction is real, but it is a function over potential configurations, only one of which is real. Superposition reflects the influence of other physically equivalent configurations. I would not call my interpretation a “collapse” interpretation. The wavefunction is always there, in the sense that nature “knows” the probability amplitude for points in configuration space other than the that represented by the real state of the universe.
Bob, I’m having a hard time assigning semantics to your words. What does it even mean, in general, for a mere “potential” non-real thing (like your configurations), to influence the “real” world? What is reality, other than things that affect the real world? How can a “potential” thing cause real effects in the real world?
What does it mean for there to be a “probability amplitude” for non-real things? If they are non-real, wouldn’t their probability (of “being real”, presumably) be zero? What is that a probability of, if it isn’t of reality?
I know the meanings of the individual words you’ve written, but the way you put them together sounds like nonsense. “Colorless green ideas sleep furiously”, that sort of thing. Your theory doesn’t seem “wrong” to me, so much as not even meaningful.
If I’m mistaken, perhaps you can help me out by explaining what it might mean for something to not be “real”, and yet to affect “reality”. That seems to be an inherent contradiction to me.