zeeya merali is science compatible with our desire for freedom? barcelona meeting may 2010

Zeeya MeraliIs Science Compatible with Our Desire for Freedom? Barcelona meeting May 2010

Is Science Compatible with Our Desire for Freedom? Barcelona 2010

Whats At Stake?Proof of the Free Will TheoremImplications: Deterministic Machines, Random Machines or Free Agents?

Image: www.mbausa.com

Image: www.mbausa.com

Image: www.carlsencards.comIts not the mathematics that loses other physicists. Its the metaphysical worry about free will. Why worry at all about a notion as flimsy as free will in a theory of physics? Gerard t Hooft

Image: www.carlsencards.com

2006: John Conway and Simon Kochen publish their Free Will Theorem: If humans have free will, then so too do elementary particles.

Bad news for deterministicalternatives to quantummechanics they rob us of free will.



Three axioms: SPIN, TWIN and FIN.SPIN: If you measure the spin of a particle along three perpendicular directions, you will always get 1, 0 and 1.TWIN: If Alice measures the spin for particle A along three perpendicular axes, then Bob will measure the same values if he performs the same measurement on twinned particle B, along the same axes.FIN: Information cannot travel faster than the speed of light.Is Science Compatible with Our Desire for Freedom? Barcelona 2010


Image courtesy of Jan -ke LarssonThe SPIN axiom can be broken down:Rule 1: Opposite directions (dots on the particle) always have the same spin value.Rule 2: Two perpendicular directions cannot both be 0.Rule 3: Three perpendicular directions cannot all be 1.

Image courtesy of Jan -ke Larsson


Uses SPIN (1, 0, 1 rule)Proves that it is impossible to pre-assign consistent spin values along 33-axes passing through particle.Always hit a paradox.



Choose one of the axes to be green (spin 0).By Rule 2, all perpendicular axes are red (spin 1).


Image courtesy of Jan -ke LarssonChoose one red axis on equator. Two directions on 45 latitude are perpendicular to this. Rule 2: One must be green. Set all perpendicular directions red.


Image courtesy of Jan -ke LarssonColour another axis green.All perpendicular directions are red.


Image courtesy of Jan -ke LarssonLather, rinse, repeat: Set another axis green and perpendicular axes red.Some red axes are now perpendicular to each other.Rule 3: Third perpendicular direction forced to be green (marked green/black)



Turn one green/black dot green. Rule 2: Another perpendicular direction turns red.Rule 3: Forces a new green direction (marked green/black).



Lather, rinse, repeat.Turn green/black axis green.New axis turns red.New axis turns green/black.


Image courtesy of Jan -ke LarssonAnd again...


Image courtesy of Jan -ke LarssonAnd again...Turn next green/black axis green. Forces the remaining green/black axis to be red. CONTRADICTION because red must also be green (here marked yellow/black!).


Is Science Compatible with Our Desire for Freedom? Barcelona 2010K-S Paradox proves that you cannot simply pre-set spin values along all directions.Like playing 20 questions.Fine for QM cheats, setting spin on-the-fly.Bad news for honest deterministic theories.Natures conspiracy?!


Image: www.funpeak.com

K-S paradox does not rule out a complex instruction booklet for assigning spin.Sneaky 20 Questions, where the order of questions matters.

Image: www.funpeak.com

Carry out two TWINned K-S style experiments, one by Alice on Earth (measures three axes), one by Bob on Mars (measures one axis).Instruction booklet could potentially help us set pre-determined spin values for Bobs particle.Complex instructions could be related to Alices choice of axes, Bobs axis, order of Alices measurements...Want to prove this complex rulebook wont help explain how Bobs particles spin result could be predetermined. Is Science Compatible with Our Desire for Freedom? Barcelona 2010


FIN: Alice and Bob are so far apart that Alices choices cant influence Bobs results. So Bobs result only depends on his axis.TWIN: If Bob chooses one of the same three axes that Alice measures, hed get the same result she would.SPIN: Alices results must obey 1, 0, 1. By TWIN, Bobs result is also constrained.K-S Paradox: Bobs result cannot obey SPIN and be predetermined.



If an experimenter s choice of which particle axis to measure is not entirely predetermined by events in her past history, then the response of the particle is also not predetermined by events in its past history.Is Science Compatible with Our Desire for Freedom? Barcelona 2010


Is Science Compatible with Our Desire for Freedom? Barcelona 2010The opposite of determinism is not randomness.Both determinism and randomness sit in the same camp, neither gives moral responsibility.Can your rules be set ahead of time? Then not free.


No, according to Conway and Kochen. So too are particles.What does free mean? Define freedom to be the characteristic behaviour of quantum particles. On-the-fly as opposed to set ahead of time.Origin of free will and moral responsibility? Is Science Compatible with Our Desire for Freedom? Barcelona 2010


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zeeya merali is science compatible with our desire for freedom? barcelona meeting may 2010

Documents

ke larssonimage courtesy

red spin

green spin

perpendicular directions

perpendicular axes red

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