Schrödinger’s cat

Nation Free editorial- May 4

Schrödinger’s cat is an interesting experiment. What led to the thought experiment is slightly complex, and the experiment is often considered to be a paradox. The experiment involves a cat in a box. The box also contains a flask of poison. When a detector inside the box senses radioactivity, the flask shatters, thus releasing the poison and killing the cat.

Since the box is closed, one never knows if the cat is dead or alive. Thus the cat is both dead and alive while the box is closed. However, to know the real state of the cat, one must open the box.

Schrödinger’s cat has been picked up by many writers. There are various interpretations of it, and the experiment is often used as an analogy.

If you look at Schrödinger’s cat, it’s a situation of maybe and maybe not. We often wonder about the outcome of a situation. Would result A happen, or result B happen? Would the result be good or bad?

We spend hours and hours fretting over what the outcome will be without actually doing what we have to. However, we would never know until we actually do it. In the case of Schrödinger’s cat, we would only know if the cat is dead or alive if we are brave enough to open the box.

Remember when we used to have crushes in our early teens? It was so embarrassing to accept that you actually liked someone. Slowly, these feelings became more mature and you began to question if someone you liked or loved was boyfriend or girlfriend material. And if they were, the next step was to ask them out. Your friends keep teasing you and asking you to take that step. You aren’t happy with those few stolen glances, and secret smiles. Thus you feel helpless and frustrated and want to actually tell them how you feel.

However, what stops you from asking him or her out is the question, ‘does he/she like you back?’ We tend to over think the answers to this question. There are only two answers, he likes you or he doesn’t. And you would never know until you actually tell him about your feelings. If his response is a positive one, you’ll be happy you took that first step. You no longer have to keep your feelings a secret.

If you, however, open the box to find the cat dead, then just throw the carcass away. Don’t dwell on things that will never happen. It is difficult, true. But didn’t you, at some point, stop crying for the pet that died? It died, it was buried, you cried and then, you stopped crying. Likewise, forget your feelings and move on. Rarely does one continue to like or love the same person, after being rejected.

Life is about many cats in boxes. You never know if they are dead or alive. However, life is too short to keep the box closed. Be brave and open the box. Find out if the cat is dead or alive.