Article ID: CBB000933691

The Origin of the Everettian Heresy (2009)

unapi

In 1956, Hugh Everett, then a PhD student at Princeton, proposed his relative state formulation of quantum mechanics. John Wheeler, who was Everett's advisor, recognized the originality and importance of such a proposal, but he denied that its non-conventional approach to measurement questioned the orthodox view. Indeed, Wheeler made serious efforts to obtain the blessing of Niels Bohr for Everett's ideas. These efforts gave rise to a lively debate with the Copenhagen group, the existence and content of which have been only recently disclosed by the discovery of unpublished documents. The analysis of such documents opens a window on the conceptual background of Everett's proposal, and illuminates at the same time some crucial aspects of the Copenhagen view of the measurement problem. Also, it provides an original insight into the interplay between philosophical and social factors which underlay the postwar controversies on the interpretation of quantum mechanics.

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Description On Hugh Everett's 1956 formulation of quantum mechanics and the controversy that ensued within the Copenhagen group.


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Authors & Contributors
Freire, Olival, Jr.
Wallace, David
Byrne, Peter
Silva Neto, Climério Paulo da
Becker, Adam
Tappenden, P.
Concepts
Quantum mechanics
Physics
Controversies and disputes
Philosophy of science
Many worlds interpretation (quantum mechanics)
Theoretical physics
Time Periods
20th century, late
20th century
20th century, early
21st century
Places
Copenhagen (Denmark)
United States
Denmark
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