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A conceptual resources approach to quantum interpretations
Quantum mechanics is usually taught with some version of the Copenhagen interpretation, even though only a minority of quantum physicists working today endorse this interpretation. We suggest that integrating a variety of quantum interpretations into undergraduate quantum education (including Copenhagen, epistemic/information-based, pilot-wave, and many-worlds interpretations) might better support learning of modern topics in quantum mechanics and bring students’ epistemologies closer to those of experts. We offer a conceptual resources perspective, in which ideas consist of flexibly combinable pieces of knowledge that may be activated independently or in networks, and whose activation may change depending on the situation. We describe the most popular quantum interpretations and begin the work of identifying conceptual resources that support them. Finally, we share preliminary instructional tasks that are designed to activate these conceptual resources, along with preliminary observations of how students interact with them.
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Everettian chance in no uncertain terms
The current landscape of views on the role of chance in the Everett interpretation is rocky. Everettians (Wallace 2012, Sebens and Carroll 2018, McQueen and Vaidman 2019) agree that chance values should be derived using principles governing uncertain or partial belief, but cannot agree on how. Critics (Baker 2007, Dawid and Thébault 2015, Mandolesi 2019) maintain that any such approach is circular. We smooth the landscape by shifting focus from what Everettians take to be uncertain to what they should think is certain: namely, the conditions under which branches are isolated. Our approach to isolation resolves the main tensions among the different Everettian chance derivations while clarifying how they avoid circularity.
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Why not talk about measurement?
Conventional wisdom suggests we should not teach physics undergraduates about different approaches to measurement in quantum mechanics. We challenge this wisdom by demonstrating that different interpretations were central to key breakthroughs in the second quantum revolution: namely, decoherence, non-locality, and state estimation. Thus, teaching measurement might bring students' epistemologies closer to those of experts.