Sickness / Symptoms After Pfizer Covid Booster Shot?

[The_Doc_Man]

I take the view that everything does have a firm and distinct cause.

See "radioactive decay" for an example of something that, at the atomic level, does NOT have a firm and distinct cause. See also "spontaneous pair production" in physics for another example. Two prime examples of the phenomenon known as "shit happens."

 

[Cotswold]

Is that like what happens to your body when you get old?

I decided years ago that although I may be getting older, I'm never going to be old.

 

[Cotswold]

See "radioactive decay" for an example of something that, at the atomic level, does NOT have a firm and distinct cause. See also "spontaneous pair production" in physics for another example. Two prime examples of the phenomenon known as "shit happens."

I see!!
Now you're just trying to confuse me. I've now read through that stuff. I have to say I felt the same after reading A Brief History of Time by Steve Hawkins. The feeling that the time I had used up reading it didn't provide anything that was totally beneficial to me at the end. Or to put it simply, a little confused.

But I read that ; A particle can decay into two components according to its decay probability........Which to me means it will decay but up to now we cannot define just when or if. Which could also mean that in time as our understanding and maths on the subject advances we (or 'they' more likely) may provide predictability rather than probability. Which then means cause and effect is known does it not?

So we will have to agree to differ. For me though, the jury is still out on the subject. However, are some things I'm good at but quantum theory isn't one of them. So I will concur to your superior knowledge for the time being

 

[The_Doc_Man]

Which to me means it will decay but up to now we cannot define just when or if.

With radioactive decay, we can predict that out of some number of molecules of a particular isotope, 50% will decay by the "half-life" time. Of the remaining molecules, 50% of the remainder (i.e. 25% of the original total) will decay by the 2nd span of the half-life.) At no time can you predict which molecules will decay or when. It is a quantum-mechanical thing, so you cannot predict it in specific, only in aggregate.

Radioactive decay is something like a compound interest problem, similar to car depreciation where your vehicle loses a percentage of its value between 15% and 20% per year depending on various factors.

At the aggregate level, things are MORE LIKELY to have a firm cause, but the finer you subdivide the world, the less accurate will be your predictions based on your "strict causality" models. That is because EVERYTHING we see is in fact a probability cloud. Your body is an aggregate of molecules which, at the lowest level, are merely places where electrons probably like to be. If that concept doesn't rock your boat, nothing will.