How the Many Worlds Interpretation brings Common Sense to Paradoxical Quantum Experiments

TL;DR

The paper argues that the Many Worlds Interpretation of quantum mechanics actually aligns with common sense by providing local causal explanations for quantum experiments that appear nonlocal, thus restoring intuitive understanding.

Contribution

It demonstrates that the MWI can explain quantum experiments with apparent nonlocality through local causality, challenging the view that MWI violates common sense.

Findings

MWI offers local causal explanations for nonlocal quantum experiments

Common sense favors local causality in physical explanations

MWI aligns with physical and philosophical intuitions about reality

Abstract

The many worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics (MWI) states that the world we live in is just one among many parallel worlds. It is widely believed that because of this commitment to parallel worlds, the MWI violates common sense. Some go so far as to reject the MWI on this basis. This is despite its myriad of advantages to physics (e.g. consistency with relativity theory, mathematical simplicity, realism, determinism, etc.). Here, we make the case that common sense in fact favors the MWI. We argue that causal explanations are commonsensical only when they are local causal explanations. We present several quantum mechanical experiments that seem to exhibit nonlocal "action at a distance". Under the assumption that only one world exists, these experiments seem immune to local causal explanation. However, we show that the MWI, by taking all worlds together, can provide local causal explanations of the experiments. The MWI therefore restores common sense to physical explanation.