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Quantum Immortality: A Journey Beyond Life and Death
In the realm of quantum mechanics, a thought experiment known as "quantum immortality" challenges our traditional notions of life and death. Stemming from the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics, this theory suggests that our consciousness may continue to exist in an alternate universe even when faced with potential death in this one¹.
The concept of quantum immortality is derived from the quantum suicide thought experiment, which is a variant of the famous Schrödinger's cat paradox. In this experiment, an observer is placed in a life-or-death situation determined by a quantum mechanism. According to the many-worlds interpretation, with each potential death, the observer's consciousness would continue in a universe where they survive². While the idea of quantum immortality remains purely theoretical and has not been scientifically proven, it provides a fascinating perspective on the nature of existence.
The theory is that for every event that could lead to a person's death, there is a branching universe where they continue to live. This leads to the notion that, from the individual's point of view, they might effectively live forever as their…