Sunday, March 25, 2007

Quantum theory of idleness

I have three preferred states: dozing on my sofa, dozing in the bath, and dozing in bed. However, these are merely classical states, and I would like to reside, if possible, in a quantum superposition of these states. My quantum idleness state space will be the Hilbert space constructed from the span of these three states. Each idle quantum state will be a complex linear combination:

Ψ = c1|Sofa> + c2|Bath> + c3|Bed>,

where |c1|2 + |c2|2 + |c3|2 = 1.

To prepare myself into such a superposed state, I merely need to behave according to the decay of radioactive atoms. For example, I could divide the energy range of the decay products into three intervals. If the energy of the decay product from a particular atom is in the lowest range, then I doze on my sofa; if it lies in the middle range, then I doze in bath; and if the energy is in the highest range, then I doze in bed. Because the decay product will be in a superposition of the possible energies, and because of the linearity of quantum evolution, this ensures that my state will become a superposition of the three idleness states.

No comments: