Reciprocating Bill
Posts: 4265
Joined: Oct. 2006
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StephenB rehearses for the park bench:
| Quote | | Quantum mechanics is vitally important as a way of studying how matter behaves, but it has nothing at all to say about the law of causality: It simply follows that law. Quantum events may be unpredictable, but they are not uncaused. There is no such thing as an uncaused event... |
One big problem for StephenB. That problem is named "StephenB":
StephenB:
| Quote | | I acknowledge that an “event” can be uncaused if we define an event as a change of movement, which understood on those terms would not violate the principle of causality. If, however, we describe an event as something coming into existence from nothing, then the principle of causality would be violated. Thus, the question framed in philosophical/scientific terms would be this: If something can come into existence without a cause in one context, why not another? How would you determine which ones that came into existence were caused and which ones were not? |
StephenB:
| Quote | | I don’t think causality can be defined that narrowly. With that constricted definition, acausal events could possibly happen at the quantum level. If a quantum particle changes location, it is conceivable to me that such an “event,” if that is what we mean by event, could be causeless because I don’t think the law of causality forbids it. |
StephenB:
| Quote | | from a quantum perspective, I submit that the existence of the particle was caused and the movement of the particle may or may not have been caused. |
StephenB
| Quote | | Causality, at the quantum level, and with respect to movement, may or may not HAVE been violated because we simply don’t know for sure. On the other hand, there is no reason, in principle, why it cannot be suspended in that context because there is no firm law that can either forbid it or mandate it. Causality with respect to the cause of existence cannot be suspended. That latter statement needs no justification any more than the law of non-contradiction needs any justification. |
By cracky!
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Myth: Something that never was true, and always will be.
"The truth will set you free. But not until it is finished with you."
- David Foster Wallace
"Here’s a clue. Snarky banalities are not a substitute for saying something intelligent. Write that down."
- Barry Arrington
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