Daily Archives: February 13, 2019


The Born Rule Has Been Derived From Simple Physical Principles

Quanta Magazine has the article Mysterious Quantum Rule Reconstructed From Scratch.

In the excertp below I have put emphasis on what I think is the most profound statement in the article.

In most physics equations, the variables refer to objective properties of the system they are describing: the mass or velocity of bodies in Newton’s laws of motion, for instance. But according to Born, the wave function is not like this. It’s not obvious whether it says anything about the quantum entity itself — such as where it is at any moment in time. Rather, it tells us what we might see if we choose to look. It points in the wrong direction: not down toward the system being studied, but up toward the observer’s experience of it.

This observation of what is missing from quantum theory, is exactly what makes quantum theory most disturbing to me. Explaining what we can observe is very valuable. It is enough to base a technology on, but is just not completely satisfying. The rest of the article, though intriguing, is just word salad that does not explain much to me.


Where Is Elizabeth Warren’s Fire in the Realm of Foreign Policy?

Truth Out has the article Where Is Elizabeth Warren’s Fire in the Realm of Foreign Policy?

Like on economic policy, the two candidates both want to see a more left-wing approach to foreign policy, but they differ in their degree of radicalism. But by looking at their voting record, their staffing and their public leadership, it is clear that Sanders is offering a deeper critique of the US foreign policy order, whereas Warren has a far less radical vision that hews closer to the Democratic Party’s traditional liberal norms.

Zaid Jilani is right about what he says in this article. But even Bernie is getting weaker in his old age.

I always knew that Warren was weak on foreign policy, but I had hopes she would learn. She has learned a little, but she is way too slow.

Bernie has been right for most of the last 40 years, but he seems to be forgetting some things he used to know. Bernie isn’t quite as strong on anti-imperialism as he used to be, unfortunately. Tulsi Gabbard is good on a lot of foreign policy issues, but even she isn’t perfect.

So far, I can still support Bernie. Elizabeth Warren has a lot to make up for before I could consider supporting her again.