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What happens with your free will in a quantum mechanical universe?

por Prof. Gerard 't Hooft (Utrecht University)

Europe/Madrid
Auditorio Santiago Grisolía (Museo de las Ciencias Príncipe Felipe)

Auditorio Santiago Grisolía

Museo de las Ciencias Príncipe Felipe

Avenida Profesor López Piñero, 7, Valencia
Descripción

Quantum mechanics is a mathematical scheme describing the dynamical features of tiny objects such as atoms and molecules but also waves in sub-atomic particles. The most popular interpretations of our equations is that particles often make random choices out of some sort of free will, and that also people have free will, which means that ‘nothing at all’ explains some of your actions.


However, one can also maintain a more sober conclusion: our equations give uncertain predictions just because of fundamental uncertainties on where all these tiny particles are exactly, and in what state they are, and what laws they follow. Most researchers claim that such explanations have been “proven” not to agree with the equations, but one can certainly challenge such assertions. Should physicists give up any hopes to find equations that tell particles how to behave, with certainty? What would then happen to your ‘free will’?