Short Essay on Quantum Theory

Charles Seacrist

February 15, 2020

The interpretation of quantum mechanics has been one of the most controver-
sial issues facing physicists and philosophers since its inception. While the mathematical
structure of quantum mechanics is set in stone, what that math means has profound impli-
cations on notions like determinism and causality. Different interpretations say different
things about these notions. For example, one interpretation might say that predicting the
future is impossible, while another might say that the future is predetermined, thereby
dashing all belief in free will.
The issue, known as the Measurement Problem, lies at the heart of quantum
mechanics; in its axioms. One axiom tells us that a physical system is supposed to evolve
in a certain way, but another says that making a measurement on that system breaks that
evolution. Measurement changes the system as if measurement itself was not a natural
process. The task of an interpretation is to resolve this paradox, and this is what forces
different interpretations to abandon ideas like determinism.
Different interpretations do not change how we use quantum mechanics, much
like one does not need to know how an engine works to drive a car. This may be why many
physicists decide to ignore this problem completely and say, “Shut up and calculate!”
Though this sort of utilitarianism is admirable, the deep truths that lie at the heart of
such questions ensure that curious people like me won’t stop searching until they find an
answer. I will never stop searching for the truth, no matter the field.