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Quantum Physics

Sep 23, 2018 by Eliezer Yudkowsky

A non-mysterious introduction to quantum mechanics, intended to be accessible to anyone who can grok algebra and complex numbers. Cleaning up the old confusion about QM is used to introduce basic issues in rationality (such as the technical version of Occams Razor), epistemology, reductionism, naturalism, and philosophy of science. Not dispensable reading, even though the exact reasons for the digression are hard to explain in advance of reading.

Imported from the wiki. Overlaps with Quantum Physics and Many Worlds and Science and Rationality.

98Quantum Explanations
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71Configurations and Amplitude
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79Joint Configurations
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76Distinct Configurations
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62Where Philosophy Meets Science
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63Can You Prove Two Particles Are Identical?
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43Classical Configuration Spaces
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38The Quantum Arena
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45Feynman Paths
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36No Individual Particles
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58Identity Isn't In Specific Atoms
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41Decoherence
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40The So-Called Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle
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29Which Basis Is More Fundamental?
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76Where Physics Meets Experience
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43Where Experience Confuses Physicists
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25On Being Decoherent
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18The Conscious Sorites Paradox
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18Decoherence is Pointless
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24Decoherent Essences
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38The Born Probabilities
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27Decoherence as Projection
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16Entangled Photons
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40Bell's Theorem: No EPR "Reality"
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22Spooky Action at a Distance: The No-Communication Theorem
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71Decoherence is Simple
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47Decoherence is Falsifiable and Testable
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56Quantum Non-Realism
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57Collapse Postulates
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96If Many-Worlds Had Come First
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54Many Worlds, One Best Guess
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62Living in Many Worlds
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42Mach's Principle: Anti-Epiphenomenal Physics
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22Relative Configuration Space
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54Timeless Physics
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24Timeless Beauty
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48Timeless Causality
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61Timeless Identity
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154Thou Art Physics
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47Timeless Control
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110The Failures of Eld Science
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59The Dilemma: Science or Bayes?
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70Science Doesn't Trust Your Rationality
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80When Science Can't Help
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62Science Isn't Strict Enough
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67Do Scientists Already Know This Stuff?
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125No Safe Defense, Not Even Science
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32Changing the Definition of Science
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90Faster Than Science
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71Einstein's Speed
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409That Alien Message
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78My Childhood Role Model
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121Einstein's Superpowers
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66Class Project
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36Why Quantum?
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