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[return to "Ask HN: What scientific phenomenon do you wish someone would explain better?"]
1. lpelli+ag[view] [source] 2020-04-26 21:07:45
>>qqqqqu+(OP)
Bell's theorem. It somehow proves that quantum physics is incompatible with local hidden variables, but I could never see an understandable explanation (for me at least) of just how it works.
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2. scioli+Hh[view] [source] 2020-04-26 21:23:19
>>lpelli+ag
Yudkowsky's explanation[1] is the first one that worked for me. I later found Quantum mysteries for anyone[2] helpful. The latter has less soap-boxing.

1: https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/AnHJX42C6r6deohTG/bell-s-the...

2: https://kantin.sabanciuniv.edu/sites/kantin.sabanciuniv.edu/...

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3. Shamel+Vm[view] [source] 2020-04-26 22:07:45
>>scioli+Hh
I started to read the first one but his insistence that Many Worlds is true was too frustrating. Many Worlds Theorem seems specifically useful at saying "the variables aren't hidden because everything before wavefunction collapses actually plays out in different worlds.

But, we specifically have no way of proving that theory. So now we're back to the essence of the original question - if these things seem random why do we know that they're in fact deterministic without any hidden variables?

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4. kubanc+dq[view] [source] 2020-04-26 22:35:33
>>Shamel+Vm
Well, I'd recommend to read the whole series. It's not so bad as it sounds. There are so many steps from where you are to appreciating the utter weirdness of Bell's experimental result. Not the weirdness of any theory (or an interpretation, which Many Worlds actually is) but of the basic experimental result.

If you are properly amazed by it, rejecting MWI or any crazy-ish borderline-conspiracy theory seems suddenly a lot harder.

I feel the whole Yudkowsky's QM series in fact served to deliver that one post.

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