Thread: Free will and determinism

Originally Posted by Laughing Man

I think perhaps we are now both missing a basic point that I just realized. Quantum physics is a positive science, therefore it cannot predict future events or actions. It can only explain what was and what is going on right now. It has no normative qualities.

It predicts probabilities for future events and those probabilities can be falsified. There are also states that can only be measured in one state so in that context, it certainly does predict future states.

An example is photons polarized at right angles to a polarizer. A null measurement is guaranteed. The case is the same for a photon polarized parallel to a polarizer. One is guaranteed to measure it coming through.

If you take two polarizers and align them at right angles to each other, the photons going through the first will never pass through the second. If you take a third polarizer and organized it between the two at a angle halfway between the other two angles, then half of the photons that pass through the first polarizer will pass through the second and half of those will pass through third.

Originally Posted by PhilosopherStoned

It predicts probabilities for future events and those probabilities can be falsified. There are also states that can only be measured in one state so in that context, it certainly does predict future states.

An example is photons polarized at right angles to a polarizer. A null measurement is guaranteed. The case is the same for a photon polarized parallel to a polarizer. One is guaranteed to measure it coming through.

If you take two polarizers and align them at right angles to each other, the photons going through the first will never pass through the second. If you take a third polarizer and organized it between the two at a angle halfway between the other two angles, then half of the photons that pass through the first polarizer will pass through the second and half of those will pass through third.

Well this is due to empirical studies done in the past which explain an event.

I don't understand what the point is.