Origin of probabilities and their application to the multiverse

Abstract

We argue using simple models that all successful practical uses of probabilities originate in quantum fluctuations in the microscopic physical world around us, often propagated to macroscopic scales. Thus we claim there is no physically verified fully classical theory of probability. We comment on the general implications of this view, and specifically question the application of classical probability theory to cosmology in cases where key questions are known to have no quantum answer. We argue that the ideas developed here may offer a way out of the notorious measure problems of eternal inflation.

7 pages including one table. V3: Final version accepted for publication in PRD. Small changes throughout to improve clarity. Section V is expanded and improved. No change to the conclusions or technical points

References in corpus (10)

• Eternal inflation and its implications
• The Multiverse Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics
• Collapse of the State Vector
• Return of the Boltzmann Brains
• The Born Rule Dies
• Eternal inflation predicts that time will end
• Entanglement Symmetry, Amplitudes, and Probabilities: Inverting Born's Rule
• A quantum measure of the multiverse
• Cosmic curvature from de Sitter equilibrium cosmology
• Rescuing the Born Rule for Quantum Cosmology

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• First Principles Numerical Demonstration of Emergent Decoherent Histories
• Decoherence from General Relativity
• Einselection, Equilibrium and Cosmology
• On the single classical field description of interacting scalar fields
• Tossing Quantum Coins and Dice
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• Information vs. Uncertainty as the Foundation for a Science of Environmental Modeling
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