Schrödinger's Man

Abstract

What if someone built a "box" that applies quantum superposition not just to quantum bits in the microscopic but also to macroscopic everyday "objects", such as Schrödinger's cat or a human being? If that were possible, and if the different "copies" of a man could exploit quantum interference to synchronize and collapse into their preferred state, then one (or they?) could in a sense choose their future, win the lottery, break codes and other security devices, and become king of the world, or actually of the many-worlds. We set up the plot-line of a new episode of Black Mirror to reflect on what might await us if one were able to build such a technology.

4 pages, 0 figures, Accepted at the "Re-Coding Black Mirror" workshop of the International Conference Data Protection and Democracy (CPDP)