Coherent superposition or Quantum Suicide?

Question

Which do you believe? Do you believe in Coherent Superposition or Quatum Suicide (multi world)? The more I learn, the more questions. LOL. Stop the quantum madness cycle! It was a mistake to start studying.

Me personally, I would think coherent superposition seems like the best theory. To think that, until an object is observed, it exists in all states at once. Same with light, how it can be photons in wave or particle, going both to and from the source at the same time, until it is observed. It would make sense that is the reason why we can never view the same particle doing the same thing, but always something different, in a different state. When the particle is observed, it is forced into an observable state. So, if lets say, i shot myself. I would be both alive and dead until somebody observed me and forced me into one of the states. And sense the evidence of one state says I am dead, I would be forced to be in the state of 'dead'

.I dont like the idea of for every action another world is created for both actions taken. To believe we are just passengers along for the ride on whichever line we are destined to follow, while another of 'us' is taking a different route, completely oblivious to our existance as we are to theirs. To believe that if, again, i shoot myself, a universe is created where I am dead, and another universe is created where I live. I could pull the trigger an infinate amount of times, creating an infinate number of universes. That, however, would explain some of the weird instances where people live through some impossible feats. This makes quantum immortality, which I disagree with. Whats your thoughts?

PS, I would never shoot myself.

Answer 1

Interesting musings however you are not a quantum phenomenon so if you shoot yourself (and assuming you don't miss), you'll be dead. On the other hand, you could invent a quantum suicide machine in which you could both be simultaneously alive and dead.  Suppose you have a collection of radioacitve atoms and you monitor it for a decays.  Lets suppose that when a certain number hve decayed as meadured by your apperatus, it causes a gun to fire and end your life. If I am standing outside of the room you are in and have no communication with you (I can't talk to you or see the counter), then your are in this nether world of being a live and dead at the same time.  I won't know your fate until I open the door to the room and look in.

The many worlds interpretation is interesting in a meta-physical sense but since none of these worlds can interact with ours, it really is an intellectual exercise with no way to prove or disprove the outcome.