Lev Vaidman (Tel Aviv University): ‘The impact of quantum mechanics on philosophy’

This will be a hybrid lecture: you can attend in person in our usual LAK 2.06 seminar room, or on Zoom:

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Meeting ID: 852 3006 9457
Passcode: 297258

Abstract: Arguably, the main impact of quantum theory on philosophy is that people gave up the hope that science can explain everything in a deterministic way. Some even accept that science is limited: we cannot explain the objective reality of Nature, only what we can say about it. I will argue that it is an accidental mistake in the evolution of science: we have no experimental evidence which requires giving up a deterministic description of Nature. Experiments are consistent with determinism if we accept the existence of parallel worlds. Multiple worlds might look more problematic than randomness, but not randomness together with action at a distance. Many-worlds interpretation restores common sense in several paradoxical situations appearing in quantum experiments.

Lev Vaidman works on fundamental problems in the foundations of quantum mechanics, quantum information, and quantum optics. He develops interpretations of quantum theory, searches for novel quantum effects, takes part in quantum optics experiments demonstrating peculiar features of quantum mechanics, and designs quantum devices for practical applications.