We’ve already discussed some of the experimental phenomena that inspire competing interpretations or theories of what’s going on in the real world during quantum-mechanical experiments. In this final installment of a three-article series, we’ll look in very broad strokes at some of the philosophical implications of these views of quantum mechanics.
Tag: metcalf
Quantum Mechanics & Philosophy II: Measurement and Interpretations
Author: Tom Metcalf Category: Philosophy of Science Word Count: 1000 Editor’s Note: This essay is the second in a series authored by Tom on the topic of quantum mechanics and philosophy. Read the first essay here and the third essay here. I. Measurement The story in the previous article in this series corresponds to real experiments about properties … Continue reading Quantum Mechanics & Philosophy II: Measurement and Interpretations
Quantum Mechanics & Philosophy I: The Superposition of Paths
Author: Tom Metcalf Category: Philosophy of Science Word Count: 1000 Editor’s Note: This essay is the first in a series authored by Tom on the topic of quantum mechanics and philosophy. Read the second essay here and the third essay here. I. Introduction: A Story I’m going to tell a complicated and counter-intuitive story.1 The real-world situations … Continue reading Quantum Mechanics & Philosophy I: The Superposition of Paths
The Problem of Evil: Is Suffering Evidence That There Is Not a God?
Many people believe in God and understand God to be an omnipotent (all-powerful), omniscient (all-knowing), and morally perfect being. But the world contains quite a lot of evil or badness: intense suffering, premature death, and moral wickedness. This inspires some questions: Why would God permit such evil? Is there a good reason why? Or does it occur in part because there is no God to prevent it? Asking these questions involves engaging with the Problem of Evil. The concern is whether evil provides a reason to disbelieve in God. There are four things one might say about evil, ranging from that it proves that God does not exist to that it provides no evidence at all against God’s existence.