David Wallace - Events in Quantum Mechanics and Relativity

Quantum mechanics, the best theory of the very small, and general relativity, the best theory of the very large, are deeply incompatible. One way to compare and contrast the two is by discerning the nature of an “event” in each. It is very different.

David Wallace is a Mellon Professor of History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Pittsburgh.

Closer to Truth, hosted by Robert Lawrence Kuhn and directed by Peter Getzels, 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.

[MoshkitaTheCat]

I can listen to Dr. Wallace forever. Grateful for the interview. Thank you.

[bbbb]

Such a clear description from David about what is unknown and how it might be understood in the future. I find these discussions on time and events fascinating.

[danrajfrancis]

We need more of David this video is basically 4years ago

[themathsprofessor]

".... we haven't really got physics, we've just got some very beautiful mathematics". This quote of David Wallace says it all for me. Maybe Max Tegmark is onto something!

[mikefinn]

Could gravity be tied to quantum mechanics by saying it is the force applied by the potential difference between a region in spacetime with a high density of collapsed wave funtions (large mass) and a region in spacetime with a low density of collapsed wave functions ("empty" space)?

[jamesruscheinski]

decoherence as events in quantum mechanics could be related to events in space-time?

[jamesruscheinski]

could quantum mechanics cause events in space-time? and would causing events in space-time make quantum mechanics an observer?

[jamesruscheinski]

events in quantum mechanics experience space-time?

[booJay]

4:38 if at the fundamental level of quantum gravity there are no events, does that not agree with Einstein's notion that there's no such thing as past, present, and future from special relativity? Events have time associated with them, but if there's no time, it would follow there are no events.

[cademosley]

I always find it ironic that "it's not empirical" is one of the most common criticisms of the Many Worlds Interpretation (MWI) when, as David says here, a lot of the whole attractiveness of MWI is that it's consistent with the model we've built out of all our empirical observations over the last century and a bit, and it's the alternatives requiring some "real wave function collapse" by some unknown mechanism that lack any empirical basis for what they need to do that. There is still plenty to debate, but arguing about what's more "empirical" isn't the best argument against the MWI.

[-by-_Publishing_LLC]

(1:30) *DW: **_"But a photon can be here and not here at the same time."_* ... Obviously. there is something wrong with any theory that ends up as a logical contradiction. A photon is a packet of energy cast out into space, and it's on a mission. It's a messenger that seeks out whatever is out there in order to distribute its energy.

Science needs to start realizing that that when a photon propagates as a wave, it's in *"seek mode"* and when it is observed, it's in *"delivery mode."* Every time you _observe_ the photon, it thinks it has reached its destination, so *"seek mode"* is disabled and *"delivery mode"* is enabled.

[mcmg-museudacriacao.melind]

The Unified Theory exists since 2008, and before, 2001 when I published me book Holomovimento : Espelho d’ Alma ! Now you have this in France whith the title - La chair de l’ univers . All’s scientists are behind me, and I what to whom THE NOBEL PRIZE DOR MY THEORY

[dadsonworldwide]

The representation of Some entropy of time has really miss lead and messed up minds. Biology and ideological belief systems drove all this narrative.
We never shouldve stopped using epochs or taxonomy and thinking in regards to entropy of decay not time or so silly subjective advancement moving forward in gradualism from a singularity of evolution .. It's caused so much death and despair in medical fields over the 100 years.

[kos-mos]

Taking quantum physics seriously the Cosmos is The One Being with no separation and time. Decoherence is the reason we experience spacetime any many separate things across space. The Cosmos is made of itself so splitting it up was the cause of much of the problems in physics. They need to focus on gravitating quantum physics. As opposed to quantizing gravity.

[jamesruscheinski]

observers in space-time experience events?

[jamesruscheinski]

might space-time be described as experience, with events happening in space-time?

[missh]

Hmm, so does that mean the observer needs to somewhat almost die or be forced to cease observing? ...Good. I've always said, man is no match against the machines.

[maxwellsimoes]

Process figure out phich are only step 6houp

[waldwassermann]

It is true there is hidden determinism at play behind the reality we get from quantum probabilities.
But why make it sound so difficult when we can say it is simple?
The meaning of life is love.

[maxwellsimoes]

Process figure out phich are only step 6hou