Schrodinger's cat--what's the observer?

From: Eel (eel_at_javabox.com)
Date: 06/22/04 

Date: Tue, 22 Jun 2004 18:12:33 +0000 (UTC)

Here's something I've never understood about the "Schrodinger's cat"
thought experiement. Is the observer (who opens the box) implied to
be a metaphysical entity that is required to make the cat come out of
its limbo state? Could the observer be a machine that opens the box,
is impacted by the outcome, but doesn't observe as a human or animal
would metaphysically.

Is it just a sort of pondering of the quantum theory of superposition
and not ment to be factual for anything other than just being a
paradox?

I'm confused.

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