210 - David Albert & Tim Maudlin: A Discussion of Niels Bohr, Measurement, & Quantum Mechanics

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David Albert is the Frederick E. Woodbridge Professor of Philosophy at Columbia University, director of the Philosophical Foundations of Physics program at Columbia, and a faculty member of the John Bell Institute for the Foundations of Physics. Tim Maudlin is Professor of Philosophy at NYU and Founder and Director of the JBI. This is David’s seventh appearance on Robinson’s Podcast. He last appeared on episode 189 with Barry Loewer to talk about the Mentaculus, their joint project on the foundations of statistical mechanics. This is Tim’s sixth appearance on the show. He last appeared on episode 188 with Sheldon Goldstein to discuss Bohmian mechanics. Tim and David last joined Robinson together for episode 67, which gave an overview of the foundations of quantum mechanics. In this episode, Robinson, David, and Tim talk about the measurement problem, the role of philosophy in physics, various thought experiments, like Schrödinger’s cat and Wigner’s friend, and Niels Bohr’s effects both on quantum mechanics and the philosophy of science. If you’re interested in the foundations of physics, then please check out the JBI, which is devoted to providing a home for research and education in this important area. Any donations are immensely helpful at this early stage in the institute’s life.

A Guess at the Riddle: https://a.co/d/6qcsidl

Tim’s Website: www.tim-maudlin.site

The John Bell Institute: https://www.johnbellinstitute.org

OUTLINE

00:00 Introduction

04:04 Einstein, Bell, and Pearl on the Measurement Problem

13:00 On “Measurement” in Quantum Mechanics

25:34 What IS the Measurement Problem?

34:42 John Bell on the Measurement Problem

40:32 An Example of the Measurement Problem

43:08 Von Neumann on the Measurement Problem

45:38 Niels Bohr and the Measurement Problem

57:54 Niels Bohr’s Drastic Revision of Physics

1:08:36 Quantum Measurement and the Philosophy of Physics

1:22:52 On Schrodinger’s Cat and Wigner’s Friend

1:38:34 On Consciousness and Quantum Mechanics

1:45:40 The Measurement Problem, Solved?

1:51:04 On the Role of Philosophy in Physics

Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com

Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, and everyone in-between.