patrick.net

More details on the Copenhagen interpretation here:
http://en.wikipedia.org
/wiki/Copenhagen_interpretation#Consequences

There are different variations of it, but basically they all include a notion of wave function collapse caused by a measurement. As such it gives central importance to the measurement process but fails to define it clearly or to explain its effects.

There is a spectrum of what people will accept as measurement, whether it's just interaction with an other particle or a larger apparatus or only human consciousness, thereby raising Schrödinger's question. But we can only register a measurement if we eventually become aware of the result, so eventually it all comes down to human knowledge, and at that point the transition from the possible to the actual has been done. And so the description works in that way.

In general the interpretation denies that the wave function is anything more than a mathematical abstraction that describes our knowledge of something, rather than a 'real' entity. (By itself I find this distinction suspect since all equations in physics represent knowledge, and knowledge of the world is self-evidently not the same as the real world or objects in the real world.)

In any case this interpretation remains one of the most widely accepted among physicists. One alternative being the 'Many Worlds Interpretation' which gets rid of the need of a collapse by including the observer in the experiment.

All this illustrates we can't ultimately separate a description of the world from a description of the nature of our knowledge of this world - considering we are part of this world.

The thought experiment is a method of explaining the behavior of unfamiliar quantum objects, using a familiar macro object as a metaphor. Of course it is absurd for a cat to simultaneously exist as alive AND dead. I've always understood Shroedinger's Cat as a way of explaining the strange observed behavior of quanta. Like most metaphors, this falls apart if you try to take it literally.

AF's cat

Bop69's cat

odi ergo sum

If a blind person doesn't know whether it's light or dark, is the cat alive or dead?

nothing exists until it is observed. so the cat is neither dead nor alive.

the moment someone looks at it, then it is either dead or alive. there is nothing wrong with it.

Mark D says

nothing exists until it is observed.

I can't see you. Are you there?

Don't worry: the NSA has Total Information Awareness, ensuring that everything in the multiverse is carefully observed and recorded, and therefore exists. Your tax dollars at work, securing your existence, now and for all time.

Mark D says

it is either dead or alive. there is nothing wrong with it.

Veterinarian: Your cat is dead. There is nothing wrong with your cat.
Customer: What should we feed our cat?

Meow!

Wow this is sure making my head spin, too much pussy science for one night!

Antonia's cat's name is See See.

Schrödinger's cat's name is Bill.

Actually dude that is Bill the Cat from Bloom County. I like this one better:

And you forgot the crazy Penguin too

SJ says

And you forgot the crazy Penguin too

I could never forget Opus! He just isn't a cat. This is a cat thread, so he is off topic.

Start a thread about penguins if you want to comment about Opus.

Maybe Schrodingers cat is making realtards rich like this:

Or making SD's cat is taking a dump on the taxpayers?

Steve Dallas is the realtard shown above and Bill (S's cat) is screwing the people with high RBA home prices!

@Patrick, spam link no longer shows. Threw some spam in ad hom.