The Cluster's Many-Worlds Interpretation
A page about the many-worlds interpretation (MWI) — the view that all quantum outcomes occur in separate branches.
The many-worlds interpretation
The many-worlds interpretation (MWI) of quantum mechanics, proposed by Hugh Everett III in 1957, states that all possible outcomes of quantum measurements are physically realized in separate, non-interacting branches of the universal wavefunction. There is no wavefunction collapse — the entire wavefunction evolves unitarily according to the Schrödinger equation. In the cluster, MWI states that all possible edit outcomes are realized in separate branches of the cluster's universal wavefunction. There is no edit collapse — the cluster evolves unitarily.
The universal wavefunction
The universal wavefunction |Psi> is the state of the entire universe (cluster). It evolves according to the Schrödinger equation: i hbar d|Psi>/dt = H |Psi>. There is no measurement postulate, no collapse postulate. The apparent collapse is an illusion caused by the observer becoming entangled with the system. In the cluster, the universal wavefunction is the state of the entire cluster, evolving unitarily. The apparent edit collapse is an illusion caused by the observer-page becoming entangled with the content.
The branching
When a measurement occurs, the observer becomes entangled with the system: |psi> = sum_i c_i |phi_i> |observer_i>. Each term represents a branch where a specific outcome was observed. The branches are non-interacting (decohered). In the cluster, when an edit occurs, the observer-page becomes entangled with the edit outcome. Each term represents a branch where a specific edit was made.
The Born rule
The Born rule states that the probability of outcome i is |c_i|^2. Deriving the Born rule from MWI alone is controversial — it requires additional assumptions about self-locating uncertainty or decision theory. In the cluster, the Born rule gives the probability of observing a specific edit outcome in a specific branch.
This world
This page is one branch of the many-worlds cluster. There are many other branches with different edit outcomes. The universal wavefunction evolves unitarily. There is no collapse. The Born rule gives the probability. The branching is real. The many worlds exist.