Craig Callender - What Does Quantum Theory Mean?

Quantum theory may be weird—superposition and entanglement of particles that in our normal world would make no sense—but quantum theory is truly how the microworld works. What does all this weirdness mean? How to go from microworld weirdness to macroworld normalcy? Will we ever make sense out of quantum mechanics?


Craig Callender is a philosopher of science and professor of philosophy at the University of California, San Diego.


Closer to Truth presents the world’s greatest thinkers exploring humanity’s deepest questions. Discover fundamental issues of existence. Engage new and diverse ways of thinking. Appreciate intense debates. Share your own opinions. Seek your own answers.

[jamesruscheinski]

Quantum mechanics could be connecting the present with the future possibilities. When quantum wave is observed, the quantum wave of future possibilities is collapsed into particle of the present.

[jamesruscheinski]

Could superposition and entanglement be described in energy terms, maybe frequencies or amplitudes?

[erictko]

Unlike most CTT videos...i can safely say that after watching this...i feel no closer to truth.

[jamesruscheinski]

Can time be in superposition of past, present and future, again not in space, just time? Maybe quantum wave function links measurement to future and past?

[jamesruscheinski]

Is quantum entanglement similar or even related to homogeneity of universe by which two disrant parts of universe which light has not had time to reach are alike? In which case quantum entanglement could also start from same gravity state and then be separated by dark energy expansion?

[jamesruscheinski]

Could a measurement produce a quantum wave function, the reverse of quantum wave function collapsing into a measurement?

[jamesruscheinski]

Does the quantum wave travel faster than speed of light non-locally?

[jamesruscheinski]

Is quantum information non-local with entire quantum wave entangled?

[jamesruscheinski]

Can time be non-local, not the time it takes to move through space, rather time itself?

[abhishekshah]

I need to understand if GRW spontaneous collapse is a tenable model and/or if it can successfully explain how macroscopic objects emerge from superpositions. The math is too complicated for me to understand right now.

[ailblentyn]

I have never understood how Many Worlds explains why you don't observe quantum superpositions. So if you think that is the basic problem, I don't see how Many Worlds solves the problem.

[xspotbox]

Not sure about quantum theory, but i'am certain nobody knows how machines designed to detect and measure quantum particles works.

[keplergelotte]

None of those interpretations explain nonlocality

[ronjohnson]

i don't know about your video but mine looked like a 1960s photograph Russian leaders. As comrades were deleted, the gaps were left open. and Ange M said it best, in other words you don't have a freaking clue.

[jamesruscheinski]

In classical mechanics particles dominate, in quantum mechanics waves dominate. Where in classical physics there is one particle, in quantum physics there is one wave.

[commonsense]

Quantum theory is weird means the theory is completely wrong.

[senjinomukae]

extremely awkward, horrid body language throughout

[thebullybuffalo]

This guy did a pretty terrible job of explaining... I could do better