Many Worlds

Gavin Lloyd Wilson [ FT396:72] is not the first to hypothesise the “splinter universe” deathavoidance hypothesis. Is There Life After Death?: The Extraordinary Science of What Happens When We Die, by Anthony Peake (Arcturus, 2009) explores this subject.

Dave Saunders

By email

The article on the Mandela Effect sparked a thought about a non-psychological solution to the problem: the many worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics (QM). I have never felt comfortable with the idea of the Universe “splitting” each time a decision is made, but I considered an alternative where all possible universes already exist in the form of the probabilistic wavefunction and that particles (and us) navigate through the available probable outcomes of the Universe based upon our past experiences. Mathematically, this would be identical to all of the other interpretations of QM, as far as I can tell. Assuming that there is a law for conservation of universes as there is for energy, charge and other forces, thus meaning that two completely identical universes cannot co-exist, it is possible that two travellers from similar but subtly different past probabilities could end up in the same probability space of our current Universe. This would allow for differing memories – for instance, the death of Mandela in one reality – but would explain why they are experiencing the same reality now.

Although my background is in physics I am more of an experimentalist and would appreciate any input on this theory from someone with a better theoretical understanding than myself. Nevertheless, it does offer a possible physical explanation for this phenomenon.

Dave Black, PhD MinstP By email