Interpretation of "the wave function of the Universe"

Wim B. Drees

doi:10.1007/BF00670817

Interpretation of "the wave function of the Universe"

Wim B. Drees^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

6 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Hawking and Hartle interpreted their wave function of the universe as giving the probability for the universe to appear from nothing. However, this is not a correct interpretation, since the normalization presupposes a universe, not nothing. Transition probabilities require a measure on the initial state and a physical result requires a physical initial state.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	939-942
Number of pages	4
Journal	International Journal of Theoretical Physics
Volume	26
Issue number	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00670817
Publication status	Published - Oct 1987
Externally published	Yes

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abstract = "Hawking and Hartle interpreted their wave function of the universe as giving the probability for the universe to appear from nothing. However, this is not a correct interpretation, since the normalization presupposes a universe, not nothing. Transition probabilities require a measure on the initial state and a physical result requires a physical initial state.",

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AB - Hawking and Hartle interpreted their wave function of the universe as giving the probability for the universe to appear from nothing. However, this is not a correct interpretation, since the normalization presupposes a universe, not nothing. Transition probabilities require a measure on the initial state and a physical result requires a physical initial state.

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JO - International Journal of Theoretical Physics

JF - International Journal of Theoretical Physics

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Interpretation of "the wave function of the Universe"

Abstract

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