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Quantum Mechanics and Free Will Debate

May 10, 2025

Does Quantum Mechanics Rule Out Free Will?

Introduction

  • Author: John Horgan
  • Publication: Scientific American
  • Date: March 10, 2022
  • Main Question: Does quantum mechanics rule out free will?
  • Focus: Examination of superdeterminism and its implications for free will.

Superdeterminism

  • Definition: A radical hypothesis proposing that all events are predetermined, including human choices.
  • Origin: Developed in response to peculiarities in quantum mechanics:
    • Apparent randomness of quantum events
    • Dependence on human observation
    • Nonlocality (spooky action at a distance)
  • Proposed by: John Bell, known for his 1964 theorem on quantum nonlocality.

Key Concepts Explained

  • Nonlocality: The phenomenon where a measurement in one place can instantaneously affect another, distant measurement.
  • Hidden Variables: Theoretical constructs that may determine outcomes that appear random.
  • Indeterminism vs. Determinism: Quantum mechanics is traditionally indeterministic, predicting probabilities rather than specific outcomes.

Arguments and Perspectives

Sabine Hossenfelder's View

  • Position: Supports superdeterminism, argues against the randomness of quantum mechanics.
  • Claims:
    • Superdeterminism could be confirmed experimentally.
    • Predicts measurement outcomes might become more predictable.
    • Criticizes the concept of free will as incoherent.

Critique and Debate

  • Author's Concerns:
    • Feels arguments for superdeterminism are circular and lack detailed explanation of hidden variables.
    • Believes psychological factors influence choices, not reducible to physics.
  • Einstein's View: Also a determinist, skeptical of free will, likens it to the moon believing it moves freely.

Counterarguments

  • George Ellis: Advocates for downward causation, where emergent phenomena can influence physical processes.
  • John Conway and Simon Kochen: Proposed the "Strong Free Will Theorem," suggesting particles have a form of free will.

Philosophical Implications

  • Explanatory Gap: Between physical theories and human consciousness and actions.
  • Incompleteness of Physics: Physics doesn’t fully account for human experiences such as love, morality, and choice.

Conclusion

  • Debate Significance: Beyond academic interest, as philosophical beliefs can affect human perspectives on agency and control.
  • Author's Take: Argues that physics might not fully explain free will and acknowledges the limits of reductionist approaches.
  • Bell's View on Superdeterminism: Used as a critique of quantum mechanics' strangeness, not a firm belief in its correctness.

Importance of Ideas

  • The discussion reflects broader concerns about human agency and the feeling of helplessness in a deterministic universe.
  • Theoretical debates in quantum mechanics matter in shaping philosophical and existential perspectives.