Schrödinger's cat that is.

One can even set up quite ridiculous cases. A cat is penned up in a steel chamber, along with the following device (which must be secured against direct interference by the cat): in a Geiger counter there is a tiny bit of radioactive substance, so small, that perhaps in the course of the hour one of the atoms decays, but also, with equal probability, perhaps none; if it happens, the counter tube discharges and through a relay releases a hammer which shatters a small flask of hydrocyanic acid. If one has left this entire system to itself for an hour, one would say that the cat still lives if meanwhile no atom has decayed. The psi-function of the entire system would express this by having in it the living and dead cat (pardon the expression) mixed or smeared out in equal parts.

What that has got to do with me?
I am in a state of superposition right now. I am the cat which has no idea of atoms or anything, stuck in a box and until anybody opens my box neither of us will know if I am dead or alive.
Maybe you will argue that the cat does know whether it is alive or not, but it certainly does not - believe me. I think that few animals have a conscience able to tell them "I am alive".

So, unless somebody tells me what I will be (I could get an invitation for Cologne or not) I am a student a soldier and out of ideas all at the same time.

The cat is bored inside her box.

Schrödinger's cat that is.

One can even set up quite ridiculous cases. A cat is penned up in a steel chamber, along with the following device (which must be secured against direct interference by the cat): in a Geiger counter there is a tiny bit of radioactive substance, so small, that perhaps in the course of the hour one of the atoms decays, but also, with equal probability, perhaps none; if it happens, the counter tube discharges and through a relay releases a hammer which shatters a small flask of hydrocyanic acid. If one has left this entire system to itself for an hour, one would say that the cat still lives if meanwhile no atom has decayed. The psi-function of the entire system would express this by having in it the living and dead cat (pardon the expression) mixed or smeared out in equal parts.

What that has got to do with me?
I am in a state of superposition right now. I am the cat which has no idea of atoms or anything, stuck in a box and until anybody opens my box neither of us will know if I am dead or alive.
Maybe you will argue that the cat does know whether it is alive or not, but it certainly does not - believe me. I think that few animals have a conscience able to tell them "I am alive".

So, unless somebody tells me what I will be (I could get an invitation for Cologne or not) I am a student a soldier and out of ideas all at the same time.

The cat is bored inside her box.

Schrödinger's cat that is.

One can even set up quite ridiculous cases. A cat is penned up in a steel chamber, along with the following device (which must be secured against direct interference by the cat): in a Geiger counter there is a tiny bit of radioactive substance, so small, that perhaps in the course of the hour one of the atoms decays, but also, with equal probability, perhaps none; if it happens, the counter tube discharges and through a relay releases a hammer which shatters a small flask of hydrocyanic acid. If one has left this entire system to itself for an hour, one would say that the cat still lives if meanwhile no atom has decayed. The psi-function of the entire system would express this by having in it the living and dead cat (pardon the expression) mixed or smeared out in equal parts.

What that has got to do with me?
I am in a state of superposition right now. I am the cat which has no idea of atoms or anything, stuck in a box and until anybody opens my box neither of us will know if I am dead or alive.
Maybe you will argue that the cat does know whether it is alive or not, but it certainly does not - believe me. I think that few animals have a conscience able to tell them "I am alive".

So, unless somebody tells me what I will be (I could get an invitation for Cologne or not) I am a student a soldier and out of ideas all at the same time.

The cat is bored inside her box.