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1. 

   clearskies000 said, about 1 month ago

   Sorry, not quite correct. In the Schrodingher’s cat thought experiment the decider in not just random. It is determined by the result of the collapse of a quantum probability field. In theory before the collapse the cat also exists in a superposition state - neither dead or alive…

2. 

   DigitalFrog said, about 1 month ago

   as opposed to a Quantas theory, which is that if you are flying coach to Australia, you will invariably be assigned a seat next to someone who snores, or has a crying baby…

3. 

   luckylouie said, about 1 month ago

   I never liked the idea of using a cat in this thought experiment. Why don’t they put a theoretical physicist in the box? Most of them are neither dead nor alive anyway.

4. 

   jukeofurl said, about 1 month ago

   The window for me being able to quantitatively understand any of this slammed shut when I hit puberty. Qualitatively however—HEY! when did Garfield get so gray! what year is this? did I @#%&*! Quantum leap again?!…

5. 

   baslim_the_begger said, about 1 month ago

   clearskies: check yesterday’s strip. Someone did a decent job of explaining it. The experiment involves a trigger set by the radioactive decay of a nucleus. Pab did not indicate that it was the decider that was random, just the state of the oven. So there is nothing wrong with what he has said.

   luckylouie, those are the ones who are in an exalted state. The rest of us have experienced decoherence via interaction with the rest of the world. Surely their purity of state even Buddha would reccommend… 8^)

6. 

   Hugh B. Hayve said, about 1 month ago

   MMMM…..lasagna!

7. 

   Doctor Toon said, about 1 month ago

   If it were Garfield doing the experiment, it would be a spider in the box.

8. 

   mamarose127 said, about 1 month ago

   Meh.

9. 

   Susan001 said, about 1 month ago

   I wish the professor wouldn’t perform that experiment on cats!
   GW Bush is a much better specimen–he was never alive or dead.

10. 

    fogey said, about 1 month ago

    Whether the lasagna were either hot or frozen when put into the microwave, opening the door would bias the measured temperature towards room temperature (unless eaten at the speed of light).

11. 

    The Old Wolf said, about 1 month ago

    Does the Qantas theory apply when one uses the variable Delta?

12. 

    GJ_Jehosaphat said, about 1 month ago

    What the Quark? Must have been a dog lover to imagine a cat in the oven.

13. 

    DigitalFrog said, about 1 month ago

    The Old Wolf - I think you’re referring to the United Field Theory…

14. 

    Dypak said, about 1 month ago

    The best joke on this I’ve seen was from Terry Pratchett’s Diskworld series. Someone was trying to explain this experiment to the spirit of Death and Death kept misunderstanding and getting insulted. “Why would I do such a thing? I like cats! I don’t think it’s right that you think I’d harm a cat.” And so on. If you havent read Mort, Reaper Man, Soul Music or Hogfather you need to. Run out right now and get them all. You’ll thank me.

15. 

    baslim_the_begger said, about 1 month ago

    Dypak: Yeah Death and The Luggage are my favorite characters so far (about half way through the series).

    The Old WolfGenius_badge said, about 7 hours ago

    Does the Qantas theory apply when one uses the variable Delta?

    I don’t know, Alaska…

16. 

    Dypak said, about 1 month ago

    Baslim,
    There were my favorites for a long time. Now Sam Vimes is my favorite (he’s supposed to be my avatar). He came out way ahead after Night Watch and Thud. Night Watch has to be the best Disc book, ever.

    I have read them all, numerous times. And each time they make me laugh, cry, shout and weep. We read them all to our kids, when they were little. And now the kids love to read because of them. Heinlein is the only other author to make as deep an impact on my life.

17. 

    pabsungenis said, about 1 month ago

    Just finished the back cover design for the new book, by the way: http://bit.ly/5gpFS

    You can still pre-order it, too!: http://bit.ly/17lhCW

18. 

    Orgelspieler said, about 1 month ago

    Schroedinger’s experiment works equally well with people who quibble about details of quantum theory as parodied in online comics. Just saying.