Can Quantum Cosmology Give Observational Consequences of Many-Worlds Quantum Theory?

TL;DR

This paper explores whether quantum cosmology can empirically distinguish between the Copenhagen and many-worlds interpretations by analyzing differences in observational probabilities across wavefunction components.

Contribution

It proposes a method to test the two interpretations through observable consequences in quantum cosmology, highlighting differences in the sampling of observations.

Findings

Probabilistic differences in observations between the two interpretations.

Potential for empirical tests to distinguish quantum interpretations.

Implications for understanding the role of observers in quantum cosmology.

Abstract

Although many people have thought that the difference between the Copenhagen and many-worlds versions of quantum theory was merely metaphysical, quantum cosmology may allow us to make a physical test to distinguish between them empirically. The difference between the two versions shows up when the various components of the wavefunction have different numbers of observers and observations. In the Copenhagen version, a random observation is selected from the sample within the component that is selected by wavefunction collapse, but in the many-worlds version, a random observation is selected from those in all components. Because of the difference in the samples, probable observations in one version can be very improbable in the other version.