Re: Induction and Quantum Mechanics

In message <d755qq$kn9$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Ralph Hartley
<hartley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes
>> Imagine what it would be like if induction didn't work
>> at all. Experiments would give random results, and the
>> information we would have in advance of an experiment
>> about the result would be zero. Now, suppose the
>> amount of information given by the result of the experiment
>> is I=I1 + I2, where I1 is what quantum mechanics tells us
>> and I2 is the "surprise" when we get the final result. In
>> a world where induction didn't work at all, we would
>> know nothing in advance about the result and so I1 would have
>> to be zero, that is, quantum mechanics would be able to
>> tell us nothing about the result.
>
>Just so. In a world in which induction does not work, QM would tell us
>nothing.
>
Induction works as a pragmatic tool, but not as proof. But it is not
necessarily the case that we need induction. Einstein showed by thought
experiments that certain laws of relativity are necessary because of the
way in which we go about measuring things. Likewise, as rof has pointed
out, we do not need induction for the probabilistic part of quantum
theory.

But when we seek to apply simply the constraints which we can find on
experiment the mathematical structure becomes constrained. So
constrained in fact that we do not know how to satisfy it and combine
general relativity and qm. In fact we cannot even resolve all the issues
for a special relativistic theory.

I do not believe that the physical universe can be inconsistent, and
therefore I believe it must be describable by a consistent mathematical
structure. I very much doubt that much induction will be left once we
have found such a mathematical structure.


Regards

--
Charles Francis

.

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