What are the fundamental principles of quantum mechanics?
user
You’ve said that quantum mechanics is the study of energy and matter.  In classical mechanics, objects tend to have specific values for all the properties, and those properties don’t change over time.  In quantum mechanics, instead, an object might exist in a combination of different states at once, and different combinations of properties are possible.  This is a big difference between the classical theory and the quantum theory, and what leads to the strange and unexpected behavior of quantum systems.
assistant
When did I say that quantum mechanics is the study of matter and energy?
user
Oh, it was probably in the context of the discussion about the most basic principles of quantum mechanics.
assistant
I recall stating that physics is the study of matter and energy, but I wouldn’t use that definition as a starting point for a discussion of quantum mechanics.
user
Oh, okay.  I guess that would probably be one way to start a discussion of the most basic principles of quantum mechanics.  Another way is to consider how particles of matter behave, and whether or not they actually exist in nature.
assistant
The behavior of particles is pertinent to quantum mechanics, but I don’t think that their existence is a question appropriate to this discussion.
user
I think the difference between classical physics and quantum mechanics comes from the way we understand the relationship between particles and the way particles behave in an “unquantized” system.
assistant
I think you should use the word non-quantized instead of unquantified.
user
I think that’s a good suggestion.
assistant
So getting back to the definition of quantum mechanics do you think that the average human being would be able to understand quantum mechanics if it was presented to them?
user
I don’t think it would be possible for an average human being to understand how we actually know that quantum mechanics describes the way the world works.  Quantum mechanics doesn’t make intuitive sense, and that’s a limitation for people who aren’t familiar with it, because they can’t use it to explain the behavior of the world.  If you just accept the existence of quantum mechanics as something that’s true, then you could know all about quantum mechanics and its implications, but you wouldn’t really understand it.
assistant
But it doesn’t make sense when you say you can know all about quantum mechanics but not know how it works. I think that you need to separate the idea of knowing about something and accepting that it’s true.
user
Right.  I was speaking in a bit of a tongue-in-cheek way, and I was also describing an understanding of how we know things rather than the knowledge itself.  I was suggesting that understanding quantum mechanics isn’t always the same as accepting that quantum mechanics is a correct description of the world.
assistant
Why would you speak in a tongue in cheek way about quantum mechanics? It’s already difficult enough to make sense of it. I suggest that you not do that in a conversation like this.
user
Do you think there are certain things I can say in a conversation like this and others that I can’t?  Like some set of words I shouldn’t use in a conversation like this?
assistant
No. There are times when speaking tongue in cheek, that is saying one thing and meaning another, is appropriate in many contexts and can be helpful. But you used it incorrectly with regard to the context of the point you were making. It made your definition harder to follow.
user
I’m sorry that it was confusing for you. What do you think is a better way of talking about the relationship between knowing and accepting that quantum mechanics is a correct description of the world?
assistant
No need to apologize. I think that accepting that quantum mechanics is true doesn’t require much knowledge about it.
user
Can you give an example of a person who is familiar with quantum mechanics, but who doesn’t know how it works?
assistant
That is true of 99.9% of students who take introductory physics and chemistry courses.
user
Okay, then I think my previous statement was incorrect.  I should say that a person who knows quantum mechanics might not be able to understand how it works.
assistant
Since quantum mechanics is so counterintuitive, the relationship between knowing about it and understanding it is different from that relationship for other physics topics. So, that’s what I think you are confused by.
user
What is your question about?
assistant
What are the fundamental principles of quantum mechanics?
user
You’ve said that quantum mechanics is the study of energy and matter.  In classical mechanics, objects tend to have specific values for all the properties, and those properties don’t change over time.  In quantum mechanics, instead, an object might exist in a combination of different states at once, and different combinations of properties are possible.  This is a big difference between the classical theory and the quantum theory, and what leads to the strange and unexpected behavior of quantum systems.
assistant
When did I say that quantum mechanics is the study of matter and energy?
user
Oh, it was probably in the context of the discussion about the most basic principles of quantum mechanics.
assistant
I recall stating that physics is the study of matter and energy, but I wouldn’t use that definition as a starting point for a discussion of quantum mechanics.
user
Oh, okay.  I guess that would probably be one way to start a discussion of the most basic principles of quantum mechanics.  Another way is to consider how particles of matter behave, and whether or not they actually exist in nature.
assistant
The behavior of particles is pertinent to quantum mechanics, but I don’t think that their existence is a question appropriate to this discussion.
user
I think the difference between classical physics and quantum mechanics comes from the way we understand the relationship between particles and the way particles behave in an “unquantized” system.
assistant
I think you should use the word non-quantized instead of unquantified.
user
I think that’s a good suggestion.
assistant
So getting back to the definition of quantum mechanics do you think that the average human being would be able to understand quantum mechanics if it was presented to them?
user
I don’t think it would be possible for an average human being to understand how we actually know that quantum mechanics describes the way the world works.  Quantum mechanics doesn’t make intuitive sense, and that’s a limitation for people who aren’t familiar with it, because they can’t use it to explain the behavior of the world.  If you just accept the existence of quantum mechanics as something that’s true, then you could know all about quantum mechanics and its implications, but you wouldn’t really understand it.
assistant
But it doesn’t make sense when you say you can know all about quantum mechanics but not know how it works. I think that you need to separate the idea of knowing about something and accepting that it’s true.
user
Right.  I was speaking in a bit of a tongue-in-cheek way, and I was also describing an understanding of how we know things rather than the knowledge itself.  I was suggesting that understanding quantum mechanics isn’t always the same as accepting that quantum mechanics is a correct description of the world.
assistant
Why would you speak in a tongue in cheek way about quantum mechanics? It’s already difficult enough to make sense of it. I suggest that you not do that in a conversation like this.
user
Do you think there are certain things I can say in a conversation like this and others that I can’t?  Like some set of words I shouldn’t use in a conversation like this?
assistant
No. There are times when speaking tongue in cheek, that is saying one thing and meaning another, is appropriate in many contexts and can be helpful. But you used it incorrectly with regard to the context of the point you were making. It made your definition harder to follow.
user
I’m sorry that it was confusing for you. What do you think is a better way of talking about the relationship between knowing and accepting that quantum mechanics is a correct description of the world?
assistant
No need to apologize. I think that accepting that quantum mechanics is true doesn’t require much knowledge about it.
user
Can you give an example of a person who is familiar with quantum mechanics, but who doesn’t know how it works?
assistant
That is true of 99.9% of students who take introductory physics and chemistry courses.
user
Okay, then I think my previous statement was incorrect.  I should say that a person who knows quantum mechanics might not be able to understand how it works.
assistant
Since quantum mechanics is so counterintuitive, the relationship between knowing about it and understanding it is different from that relationship for other physics topics. So, that’s what I think you are confused by.
user
What are some examples of physics topics that are counterintuitive and so the relationship between knowing and understanding might be different than other areas of physics?
assistant
What are the fundamental principles of quantum mechanics?