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Everett and Wheeler: the Untold Story

Peter Byrne

Published Jun 24, 2010• 5 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Abstract In the beginning, Wheeler was Everett's champion. But in the end he rejected his proposal. This chapter tells this story and discusses the views of Bohr and others on Everett's ideas.
DOI
10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199560561.003.0021

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This is a letter from John Wheeler to Hugh Everett III with detailed comments regarding Everett’s thesis. Wheeler describes his meetings with Niels Bohr, Aage Petersen, and colleagues in Copenhagen and their reaction to the draft thesis. Wheeler emphasizes how difficult it will be for Everett to fully address the misunderstandings as he reworks his thesis given the limits of “everyday words.” Wheeler believes that the words are the problem, not the formalism. He says that he reported to the Copenhagen colleagues his sense that “Everett’s very original work is destined to become widely known."
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