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From: c60a-2di@e260-2d.berkeley.edu (The Cybermat Rider)
Newsgroups: comp.ai
Subject: Re: Robots & free will (was Re: The limitations of logic)
Summary: Schroedinger's Cat
Message-ID: <19294@agate.BERKELEY.EDU>
Date: 21 Jan 89 06:22:25 GMT
References: <3328@sdsu.UUCP> <43228@linus.UUCP> <539@uceng.UC.EDU> <3550@ingr.com> <5782@sdcsvax.UUCP>
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In article <5782@sdcsvax.UUCP> nschraudolph@ucsd.edu (Nici Schraudolph) writes:
>I vaguely remember an intriguing gedanken experiment illustrating how this
>"manifestation by measurement" carries over from subatomar scales to 
>everyday experience. It involved "Schroedinger's cat" in a box, and ended
>with the conclusion that the cat only exists when the box is open.
>
>Unfortunately I can't remember the details - can somebody out there please
>post a concise description?

Lesse now......

If my memory serves me correctly, it involved a cat, a "minimally
radioactive" substance and a vial of poison gas connected to a particle
detector, all in a light-proof box.  If an alpha (or whatever) particle hit
the detector, the vial would burst and the cat would die.

Erwin Schroedinger proposed that, before you open the box to find out if the
cat were alive or dead, BOTH DEAD-CAT AND LIVE-CAT EXIST IN THEORY.  It is
the opening of the box to take a peek (ie. "measurement") that makes one or
the other a reality.

On the other hand, I have a splitting headache right now, so certain details
may be way off base.  The general framework should be correct, though.

>--
>   "Language is a Virus from Outer Space"  -  William S. Burroughs
>#####################################################################
>#  Nici Schraudolph                          nschraudolph@ucsd.edu  #
>#  University of California, San Diego       ...!ucsd!nschraudolph  #
>#####################################################################
>Disclaimer:  U.C. Regents and me share no common opinions whatsoever.
              ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
			My sentiments exactly!  8-)

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Adrian Ho a.k.a. The Cybermat Rider	  University of California, Berkeley
c60a-2di@web.berkeley.edu
Disclaimer:  Nobody takes me seriously, so is it really necessary?