Interpretations of quantum mechanics
Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth. - Sherlock Holmes (by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
(I'd like to take a hound of the baskerville approach here. Start with the obvious interpretations of quantum mechanics, show why then don't work.)
Quantum mechanics is a physical theory which is extremely perplexing and non-intuitive. Much of the non-intuitive nature of the their deals with its probablistic nature.
(The nature of light)
(Why light is a wave won't work)
(Quantum mechanics contains probablistic descriptions of particles.)
(The double slit experiment and why that doesn't work.)
(QM is due to local hidden variables)
(The aspect experiment and why that doesn't work.)
Interpretations of Quantum Mechanics
Three of the most common interpretations are summarized here:
| Interpretation | One Universe |
Avoids hidden variables |
Deterministic | Local |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copenhagen interpretation | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Everett many-worlds interpretation | No | Yes* | Yes | Yes |
| Bohm interpretation | Yes | No | Yes | No |
.*Many Worlds has no hidden variables, except for the multiple worlds themselves.
An interpretation with a Yes in every box would be the most elegant and intuitive, but that appears to be impossible. Each of these interpretations has at least one No, but they differ in where it is.