Editing 1240: Quantum Mechanics
Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.
The edit can be undone.
Please check the comparison below to verify that this is what you want to do, and then save the changes below to finish undoing the edit.
Latest revision | Your text | ||
Line 10: | Line 10: | ||
This comic plays with the fact that {{w|quantum mechanics}} is a very complex subject that is frequently misapplied by laymen. Many of the phenomena studied in quantum mechanics are contrary to common sense and can only be expressed in complex mathematics. Yet, since the field is fundamental to our understanding of reality, it is commonly cited to support broad sweeping philosophical generalizations. | This comic plays with the fact that {{w|quantum mechanics}} is a very complex subject that is frequently misapplied by laymen. Many of the phenomena studied in quantum mechanics are contrary to common sense and can only be expressed in complex mathematics. Yet, since the field is fundamental to our understanding of reality, it is commonly cited to support broad sweeping philosophical generalizations. | ||
− | The phrase “according to quantum mechanics” betrays the speaker | + | The phrase “according to quantum mechanics” betrays that the speaker does not know very much about the subject. To a physicist, it is almost as vague as “according to physics”. Somebody who understands the subject would use a more precise term such as “according to the uncertainty principle” or “according to a paper by such-and-such.” |
− | [[Cueball]] explains to [[Ponytail]] that dogs must have {{w|souls}}. This would be against the doctrine of certain religions, including some sects of Christianity, which teach that only humans have souls | + | [[Cueball]] explains to [[Ponytail]] that dogs must have {{w|souls}}. This would be against the doctrine of certain religions, including some sects of Christianity, which teach that only humans have souls. |
− | + | The question of whether animals have souls comes up for many reasons in theological and philosophical discussions. One major one is the wish of many dog owners to meet their pets in {{w|Heaven}}. For this to come to pass, it would be necessary for dogs not only to have souls, but also ''immortal'' souls. This distinction comes up in Catholicism, for example, where the usually taught doctrine (See [http://dhspriory.org/thomas/english/ContraGentiles2.htm#82 Aquinas, S.C.G. II, C. 82]) is that while animals do have souls, their souls are mortal, and therefore die with their bodies. In this case, animals cannot enter Heaven — | |
+ | or {{w|Hell}}, or {{w|Purgatory}}. | ||
− | The vast majority of people do not have a sufficient understanding of quantum mechanics to judge | + | Cueball, however, uses quantum mechanics as an argument even though quantum mechanics is only applicable on the atomic scale and not on macroscopic objects like animals. It also, for that matter, only applies to matter, and not to souls, which are held by most doctrines to be immaterial. His argument, however, is a reference to the concept of an '{{w|Observer (quantum physics)|observer}}' in quantum physics, as well as theories about the {{w|Von Neumann–Wigner interpretation|collapse of wave functions}}. |
+ | |||
+ | The vast majority of people do not have a sufficient understanding of quantum mechanics to judge if Cueball's statement is correct. Nevertheless, [[Randall|Randall's]] message is: you don't need to understand quantum mechanics to judge the statement. No matter what the sentence is, it is almost certainly incorrect, so “you can safely ignore” it. | ||
The title text refers to “science assertions” — that is, claims about scientific knowledge — that include the words “quantum mechanics”. If “quantum mechanics” is the most complicated term in the sentence, then the speaker probably does not know what they are talking about. If a scientist is correctly applying quantum mechanics, they will use more specific (and hence more complicated) language. | The title text refers to “science assertions” — that is, claims about scientific knowledge — that include the words “quantum mechanics”. If “quantum mechanics” is the most complicated term in the sentence, then the speaker probably does not know what they are talking about. If a scientist is correctly applying quantum mechanics, they will use more specific (and hence more complicated) language. |