Does it Make Sense to Speak of Self-Locating Uncertainty in the Universal Wave Function? Remarks on Sebens and Carroll

TL;DR

This paper critically examines the claim that self-locating uncertainty in the universal wave function resolves probability issues in Everettian quantum theory, highlighting some problems with Sebens and Carroll's arguments.

Contribution

It provides a critical analysis of Sebens and Carroll's proposal, identifying issues with their interpretation of self-locating uncertainty in Everettian quantum mechanics.

Findings

Identifies problems with the notion of self-locating uncertainty in Everettian theory

Challenges the idea that uncertainty solves probability interpretation issues

Offers insights into the conceptual foundations of quantum mechanics

Abstract

Following a proposal of Vaidman, Sebens and Carroll have argued that in Everettian (i.e. purely unitary) quantum theory, observers are uncertain, before they complete their observation, about which Everettian branch they are on. They argue further that this solves the problem of making sense of probabilities within Everettian quantum theory, even though the theory itself is deterministic. We note some problems with these arguments.