323 | Jacob Barandes on Indivisible Stochastic Quantum Mechanics
Summary
Sean Carroll and Jacob Barandes delve into the foundations of quantum mechanics, addressing why physicists still grapple with its meaning despite its predictive power. Barandes proposes a radical new theory: indivisible stochastic quantum mechanics, which posits only real degrees of freedom with fundamentally stochastic dynamics, eliminating the need for a wave function. They discuss the theory's implications for concepts like measurement, decoherence, and even the nature of causality, offering a fresh perspective on the universe's underlying reality.Episode description
The search for a foundational theory of quantum mechanics that all physicists can agree on remains active. Over the last century a number of contenders have emerged, including Many-Worlds, pilot-wave theories, and others, but all of them have aspects that many people object to. Jacob Barandes has taken up the challenge, proposing a new formulation of quantum theory in which there is no wave function, only real degrees of freedom with fundamentally stochastic dynamics. We talk about this new theory and the challenges facing it.
Blog post with transcript: https://www.preposterousuniverse.com/podcast/2025/07/28/323-jacob-barandes-on-indivisible-stochastic-quantum-mechanics/
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Jacob Barandes received his Ph.D. in physics from Harvard University. He is currently Senior Preceptor in Physics and Associated Faculty in Philosophy at Harvard. He teaches both physics and philosophy courses at Harvard, where he has been the recipient of several teaching awards.