this post was submitted on 12 Apr 2026
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Quantum Computing
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An observer is a means of taking measurement.
The things being measured are so small the means to measure such things greatly disrupts what they would be if not being measured. Think equal and opposite reactions.
I'm wondering if it is that simple. Does the observer needs to have a "consciousness" ? Is a photon colliding with an atom is consider as the observer, or is it the scientist that lighted up the atom which is the observer ?
If we takes Schrödinger cats, when does the measure happen ? When the sensor detect the radioactive particle ? When the cat realize its death ? When the box is open ? When someone actually looks inside the box ?
That's true questions, I'm trying to understand quantum physics since years, but the sources I find are either too simple ("The cat is both dead and alive, It means there are parallel universe !), either too complicated (directly jump to equations).
@KissYagni@programming.dev
Great question—this is exactly the issue the paper addresses.
In standard quantum theory, “observer” is not formally defined, which is why it’s unclear whether measurement happens at interaction, detection, or perception.
In this framework, measurement is not tied to consciousness or a single event. It occurs only when a coherence condition (SIC) is satisfied, fixing one outcome.
So the question is not who observes, but when coherence becomes sufficient to determine reality.