Lesson plan
Universal wave function
The universal wave function or the wave function of the universe is the wavefunction or quantum state of the entire universe. It is regarded as the basic physical entity in the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics, and finds applications in quantum cosmology. It evolves deterministically according to a wave equation. The concept of universal wave function was introduced by Hugh Everett III in his 1956 PhD thesis draft The Theory of the Universal Wave Function. It later received investigation from James Hartle and Stephen Hawking, who derived the Hartle–Hawking solution to the Wheeler–DeWitt equation to explain the initial conditions of the Big Bang cosmology.
Article summary
The universal wave function or the wave function of the universe is the wavefunction or quantum state of the entire universe. It is regarded as the basic physical entity in the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics, and finds applications in quantum cosmology. It evolves deterministically according to a wave equation. The concept of universal wave function was introduced by Hugh Everett III in his 1956 PhD thesis draft The Theory of the Universal Wave Function. It later received investigation from James Hartle and Stephen Hawking, who derived the Hartle–Hawking solution to the Wheeler–DeWitt equation to explain the initial conditions of the Big Bang cosmology.
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Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
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Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.