167 - David Wallace: The Many-Worlds Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics

David Wallace is Mellon Professor in the Department of History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Pittsburgh. Before that, he obtained PhDs in both physics and philosophy at Oxford. David works mainly in the philosophy of physics, and is best known for his development and defense of the Everett—or Many-Worlds—interpretation of quantum mechanics. In this episode, Robinson and David talk all about Many-Worlds, including its history, how it relates to the broader question of realism in the philosophy of science, its strong points, and some potential problems, such as how to account for probability in the multiverse. David’s book on the subject is The Emergent Multiverse (Oxford, 2014).

The Emergent Multiverse: https://a.co/d/3GOSC3a

OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:18 Introduction

03:38 From Physics to Philosophy

12:54 Realism and the Measurement Problem in Quantum Mechanics

25:14 Hugh Everett and the Many Worlds Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics

48:56 Bryce DeWitt

51:33 How Does the Many Worlds Theory of Quantum Mechanics Work?

01:02:22 Are There Problems with the Many Worlds Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics? 

01:10:58 How Many Worlds Are There in the Multiverse?

01:21:54 How Can We Make Sense of Probability in the Multiverse?

01:43:44 Is The Multiverse Too Absurd to Believe In?

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, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between.