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I searched through many discussion on Physics Stack Exchange about "Why observation cause collapse of wave function?" and I am totally confused. Is it already solved by modern quantum physics?

I know that the real cause is act of measurement. So collapse of electron wave function is caused by interaction between this electron and photon from detector used for measurement? It sound quite clear for me, that the "interaction" cause collapse, am I right? So where is the catch? Because there are so many discussion about it, some peoples points that consciousness cause collapse... I don't where the real problem is if the answer is so simple: "interaction"?

From the other hand, if we send photons to interact with electron, without measuring it, will it still cause collapse?

UPDATE, after marking as duplicate:

I know that the act of measurement cause collapse of wave function. Basically measurement means probing sample electron with photon and that interaction cause collapse, am I right? So what about other particles in environment, will those particles cause wave function collapse?

Going one stop further:

In double slit experiment with electron, if we don't measure electron state but rather than that we interact with if via laser - bombard it with photons, still there are no measurements! Will it cause collapse of electron wave function?

Kacper Kleczewski
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  • You are ultimately going to be correct. Although there is still much debate, the idea that consciousness causes collapse is defeated by absurdity. All throughout the universe at all times things are happening and they don't require any consciousness to occur. Period. QM just has some strange behaviors we still need to figure out. – Brad S May 17 '17 at 12:33
  • I think a better duplicate of the (revised) question is What constitutes an observation/measurement in QM? – Michael Seifert May 17 '17 at 18:19
  • @BradS I can have a computer game program running, I don't have to render, or run any sort of calculations of a Solar System behind the users player model. In fact, all I have to do is a have storage space on a server saying at position (x,y,z) is a solar system. It's not until the player looks at the solar system do I have to run any sort of calculations. This is what they are saying. then if they start tinkering around in atoms do I have to show a 'position' for the atoms. We are attempting to use a mathmatical model that we understand, for something more complex than we can even comprehend. – christopher clark Oct 12 '17 at 18:22
  • That's fine to have a game with "hidden" things from the observer. And, I agree about trying to understand and build a model for things we don't understand. However, decoherance has nothing to do with consciousness. It has to do with interaction/measurement. In your game example in order for the solar system to interact the positions, sizes, and momentum of the planets must be known otherwise you could not explain the current state once observed. I'm with Einstein, the moon exists even when we don't look at it. Only a quantum coherent state is in a state of probability. – Brad S Oct 14 '17 at 01:19

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