Abstract
We consider the multiverse in the intrinsically quantum mechanical framework recently proposed in Refs. [3,4]. By requiring that the principles of quantum mechanics are universally valid and that physical predictions do not depend on the reference frame one chooses to describe the multiverse, we find that the multiverse state must be static—in particular, the multiverse does not have a beginning or end. We argue that, despite its naive appearance, this does not contradict observation, including the fact that we observe that time flows in a definite direction. Selecting the multiverse state ultimately boils down to finding normalizable solutions to certain zero-eigenvalue equations, analogous to the case of the hydrogen atom. Unambiguous physical predictions would then follow, according to the rules of quantum mechanics.
- Received 29 May 2012
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.86.083505
© 2012 American Physical Society