Why coins specifically? One can ask a similar question about any classical interaction where more than a single outcome is possible apriori. The interesting question is, how deep “down” one has to go for the question “is this process classical?” to start making sense. For example:
Is scoring a goal a quantum event? (I use it instead of a coin flip because it’s ostensibly much less predictable.)
Is you reacting to the goal being scored a quantum event?
How about the player moving their limb in the right position to score?
What about moving their eyes the right way at the right time to notice the ball?
Thinking (possibly subconsciously) about looking where the ball might be?
Neurochemicals released/neurons firing to construct this thought?
Ion channels opening in order to release the chemicals or depolarize the membrane?
A single ion channel opening?
A voltage-sensitive gating trigger consisting of a few molecules somewhere deep inside the channel shifting to cause the channel opening.
Well, this last thing is probably “quantum”, in the same sense radioactive decay is quantum: one can write the interaction Hamiltonian, solve the Schrodinger equation and calculate probabilities using the Born rule.
Now, going all the way up, does it make sense to write the state of the world as (channel triggered x goal scored)+(channel not triggered x goal not scored)?
(Out of time, will continue later, but feel free to comment)
Why coins specifically? One can ask a similar question about any classical interaction where more than a single outcome is possible apriori. The interesting question is, how deep “down” one has to go for the question “is this process classical?” to start making sense. For example:
Is scoring a goal a quantum event? (I use it instead of a coin flip because it’s ostensibly much less predictable.)
Is you reacting to the goal being scored a quantum event?
How about the player moving their limb in the right position to score?
What about moving their eyes the right way at the right time to notice the ball?
Thinking (possibly subconsciously) about looking where the ball might be?
Neurochemicals released/neurons firing to construct this thought?
Ion channels opening in order to release the chemicals or depolarize the membrane?
A single ion channel opening?
A voltage-sensitive gating trigger consisting of a few molecules somewhere deep inside the channel shifting to cause the channel opening.
Well, this last thing is probably “quantum”, in the same sense radioactive decay is quantum: one can write the interaction Hamiltonian, solve the Schrodinger equation and calculate probabilities using the Born rule.
Now, going all the way up, does it make sense to write the state of the world as (channel triggered x goal scored)+(channel not triggered x goal not scored)?
(Out of time, will continue later, but feel free to comment)