h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Actually, Bell's work led to his famous inequality, the derivation of which required locality. This inequality was shown not to hold experimentally; and thus quantum mechanics was confirmed.

I take exception to the statement that "It is widely accepted, that, quantum mechanics is a terribly incromprehensible piece of scientific brute-force". The very internet which is so critical to this very guide would not be possible if it weren't for the explanations provided by quantum mechanics. Lasers, which are required for high speed telecommunications and enjoying CDs, are only accurately described using quantum mechanics.

The number of people involved in designing all of the innumerable devices which incorporate quantum mechanics into our daily lives is immense, and all of these people, on some level understand quantum mechanics, have seen it confirmed, and have used it to advance the technologies which benefit us in so many ways.

Yep, some parts are mixed up in the text. The entry is still under construction, especially the Bell inequation part. As I said, it is not ready yet...

Thanks for your input, though.

See you around, don't forget to read it when it's up for peer review.

HELL

I may be coming in a little late here, but here goes anyway.

I personally don't take exception the the "brute force" quote. My studies in Quantum Mechanics have always lead me to Perturbation Theory, which is nothing more than small estimates that makes very hard math a little easier. Perhaps this is what is meant by "brute force". Instead of solving for things exactly we make convenient estimates. Sure, the answers we get are often verified by experiment within error, but this could just be a result of our level of understanding. After all, humanity was satisfied for a long time with our estimate of the equation: v = Ft. Once relativistic effects are taken into account this is wrong. But this doesn't come into account when I am playing snooker. I guess this is kind of the basis of my argument that Perturbation Theory in Quantum Mechanics is a nice way of solving problems, and it seems to work; but it is still wrong.

I enjoyed the Article.

Cheers,
Thor

I think the actual reason why people speak of brute force quatum mechanics is that QM abandons the ideas of locality and causality. The Copenhagen interpretation of QM is very brute.