this post was submitted on 03 Oct 2024
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Showerthoughts

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quantum mechanics (self.showerthoughts)
submitted 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) by HenriVolney to c/[email protected]
 

Playing the lotery is a good analogy to the Schroedinger cat experiment. That is, as long as you don't check the numbers

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[–] [email protected] 17 points 2 months ago (2 children)

This is a gross misinterpretation of the Schrödinger's cat thought experiment and how the lottery actually works. That said, this is genuinely a shower thought because it's logic evaporates as quickly as you dry off and put your thinking pants on.

[–] HenriVolney 3 points 2 months ago

Well pardon me sir, my scientific background is entirely made of yt science videos for middle-schoolers!

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago

I suffered from the wrong interpretation myself for a long time, and I think it's worth a brief explanation as to why it is wrong. It's clear why so many people misunderstand it, and I'm incapable of providing a concise, correct explanation to other people myself. But I like to see other people try, and hope one day to come across an elegant explanation that I can plagiarize.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)
[–] HenriVolney 5 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Well you have both won and not won the lotery as long as you don't check the results = measure the results of the experiment

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago

Hm. I suppose you could see it like that philosophically.

I'd say it more like, you have not won yet until you check and see you've won, but I guess that train of thought works, as well.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago

Schrödingers win-win you have won but you could also win all you have to do is measure which one

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago

Schrödinger was responsible for so much good work in science, but all we remember him for is his cruelty to animals. :(