Causality, or consistency of boundary conditions?
On Radio 4 this morning is an amazing programme exploring some really deep and technical issues about quantum theory and the nature of reality in physics. Amazingly in that they are brave enough to broadcast it at a time more associated with The Archers . Amazing in that the level of discussion is one that would challenge most physics and philosophy graduates, and they let it loose on a mainstream audience. I'm impressed. But then I read Robert Peston's latest post about China , and it became even more resonant. That old question is asked: who or what is to blame? In particular, was the financial crisis caused by excessive borrowing by Westerners or excessive lending by China? The thing is, of course, that neither of those things could happen without the other. That makes it impossible to really debate whether saving caused lending or vice versa, let alone which one caused the financial crisis. And that's where I am reminded of the methods of quantum physics and how we sol...