this post was submitted on 27 Nov 2023
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Programmer Humor

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You check the crash logs

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (2 children)

This doesn't sound very accurate. For starters, classical mechanics fails to describe even motion of Mercury. But more importantly, uncertainty in this context means someting else in this context. And while it is true that Schrödinger's cat is both alive and dead until observed, once observed, it's been dead or alive all along. Same with a tree, once it is determined it has fallen, it has already made the sound and produced all the consequences some time ago. While I don't understand quantum mechanics, I'm fairly sure the person who wrote the copypasta understands it even less than me.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Most importantly, the question is supposed to highlight the difference between sound as in physical waves and sound as in perception. The answer completely misses the point.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago

I don't understand quantum mechanics.

"I think I can safely say that nobody understands quantum mechanics." ­-- Richard Feynman

"Young man, in mathematics you don't understand things. You just get used to them." -- John von Neumann.

The latter quote didn't occur in response to Feynman, which might be hinted at by the subjects not being aligned, but together they serve my point.

Both these men were terrifyingly intelligent and worked as physicists at least some of the time. If they couldn't understand quantum mechanics, then we mortals don't have much of a chance.