Posted: Mar 13, 2011 12:13 pm
Regarding parsimony - there's a whole discussion to be had there, in my view, about what parsimony should be taken to mean and what we should demand of a theory.
I think it is worth pointing out, however, that whether Everett's model (the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics or the relative state formulation) is true or not isn't going to make any difference here. The many-worlds theory does not allow you to jump between universes to make money - or whatever is this man is selling. We could have conclusive proof, tomorrow, that Everett was right and many-worlds is true - and this get-rich-quick scheme would still be fraud.
EDIT- I note that they aren't selling jumping between worlds as many people might imagine it, but instead are selling the ability to communicate with versions of yourself in other worlds. The idea seems to be that you mentally jump into your "other selves" and experience their lives, so you can learn from them. This is still a fraudulent claim, of course.
The scam aspect of this is that people will use their own imaginations to tell them they did just that - someone will spend half an hour thinking he was in the life of another him that was doing something interesting and will think he "quantum jumped" - when in fact he was just imagining things.
I think it is worth pointing out, however, that whether Everett's model (the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics or the relative state formulation) is true or not isn't going to make any difference here. The many-worlds theory does not allow you to jump between universes to make money - or whatever is this man is selling. We could have conclusive proof, tomorrow, that Everett was right and many-worlds is true - and this get-rich-quick scheme would still be fraud.
EDIT- I note that they aren't selling jumping between worlds as many people might imagine it, but instead are selling the ability to communicate with versions of yourself in other worlds. The idea seems to be that you mentally jump into your "other selves" and experience their lives, so you can learn from them. This is still a fraudulent claim, of course.
The scam aspect of this is that people will use their own imaginations to tell them they did just that - someone will spend half an hour thinking he was in the life of another him that was doing something interesting and will think he "quantum jumped" - when in fact he was just imagining things.