Popular Quantum Physics.

[Alice Shade]

http://www.csicop.org/si/2006-04/quantum-mechanics.html

I think it`s a must-know to rebuff "Quantum physics is a crock, it`s stupid and God`s way is clearly the way things are." point of view.

Granted, the article is not exactly easy reading, but it`s still one hell of a lot more consumable, then textbook definitions of quantum physics.

[Kokoba]

I haven't read the article yet--I will.

Does it have anything to say to the "Well quantum physics is so tripped out but still legitimate... X, Y, and Z occult interests are therefore also legitimate" argument, as opposed to the "It's crap, things are God's way" argument?

[Saramon]

Good article, Quantum physics is interesting, so is string theory

[Alice Shade]

No, Kokoba.

It gives a bit of insight, how to explain quantum physics in layman terms.

Aka, when xian says - "It`s bullshit, I don`t understand a bit of it, it`s got to be false, how can you be dead and alive in same time, like that stupid cat?!"

You can rebuff with - "It is not meant to be taken that literally. In layman words, it says, that once you close cat in the box, you have no way to say, weather it is alive or dead, until you open the box, and look. But if you`ll lock million cats in separate boxes, you can give odds at how much cats will be alive at any given moment of time."

[punkinside]

Anybody seen the movie "What the bleep do we know?.. Down the rabbit hole"?

Weird movie.

[jon_hill987]

No, Kokoba.

It gives a bit of insight, how to explain quantum physics in layman terms.

Aka, when xian says - "It`s bullshit, I don`t understand a bit of it, it`s got to be false, how can you be dead and alive in same time, like that stupid cat?!"

You can rebuff with - "It is not meant to be taken that literally. In layman words, it says, that once you close cat in the box, you have no way to say, weather it is alive or dead, until you open the box, and look. But if you`ll lock million cats in separate boxes, you can give odds at how much cats will be alive at any given moment of time."

I always thought the cat has to be locked in the box with a container poison that was released (into the box) upon the decay of a single atom of a radioactive isotope. it has the same result though, the cat is both alive and dead. but of course it is not literal, the cat isn't really alive and dead, you just don't know which. it makes perfect sense.

[Alice Shade]

Why there would be any need for poison or whatever?

Lock million cats into boxes for a week. About hundred-thoudand would starve or suffocate to death.

Lock for two weeks - about several hundreds of thousands will die.

Lock for two months - all of them will die.

This is what example is about. You can give pretty accurate odds at weather cat is alive or not, but no way to know for sure, until box is opened.

[linkskywalker]

Anybody seen the movie "What the bleep do we know?.. Down the rabbit hole"?

Weird movie.

I've seen bits of it in classes. Another good one is "An Elegant Universe" which gives a pretty good overview of String Theory and quantum physics of people who aren't physicists. You can watch the whole thing online...lemme find the link.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/elegant/program.html

Please enjoy.