Realism is the concept that objects exist independently of our perception of them. Albert Einstein believed the Moon existed even when he was not looking at it -- which was the example he used to state his belief in realism. Realism permits us to speak and calculate meaningfully about objects even when we are not directly perceiving them.

Some think that the experience we call life is merely a simulation. They believe realism fails and the Moon does not exist while we're not looking at it, however few physicists concur. If realism does fail, i.e. does not hold true, there is little point to studying physics: it would mean objects have no consistent parameters by which to assess them and reliably predict their behavior, which is what physics is all about.

Consequently, most physicists believe Bell's Theorem instead tells us there is no local hidden variable explanation for quantum behavior. Let's discuss that jargon. "Local" refers to objects close enough to each other to be within speed-of-light communication range. Objects that seem to send information to each other faster than the speed-of-light (superluminal) are said to be non-local to each other. A "variable" is information encoded within objects (polarization is an example). "Hidden variable" refers to information that might only be uncovered by an observer subsequent to quantum behavior.

Quantum behavior is any activity that cannot be completely accounted for via classical physics, with quantum entanglement being an example. Two entangled objects appear to be able to share information with each other in a faster-than-light manner. Per Bell's Theorem, that illusion has only two possible explanations: either the objects are not real or information about the objects exists non-locally to them. Above. we've already set aside the "realism fails" idea. That limits valid explanations to those that do not involve local variables.

Essentially, Bell's Theorem places constraints on theories that can accurately model quantum physics. MIWOI's explanation of entanglement is compatible with Bell's Theorem. For MIWOI, entanglement involves a world serving as a container for entangled objects. Since that world is external to the entangled objects, it is considered not local to them. Thus, MIWOI's explanation for entanglement falls in a class known as non-local hidden variable.

The universe model called superdeterminism is usually also classified as a non-local hidden variable model, but it is quite different from MIWOI. Superdeterminism, too, can account for quantum behavior. It reports that all events and actions everywhere in the universe have been pre-set, and even what seems like quantum randomness is actually something occurring on pre-ordained schedule. Superdeterminism's reality is akin to a movie that was previously recorded and is now being played back -- with all of us as unwitting, no-free-will actors appearing within.

Superdeterminism gives no purpose to non-classical randomness, the very foundation of quantum physics. Why have quantum randomness if all events have been predetermined? In such a model of reality, quantum randomness is unnecessary added complexity. The principle known as Occam's razor tells us unneeded complexity is unlikely correct, i.e. superdeterminism is unlikely how things operate.

Superdeterminism supporters might counter by saying quantum randomness only seems to be present and is there to fake out physicists. Who is doing that faking out, and was that the most interesting movie the creators of an entire universe could author? Since everything is pre-set under superdeterminism, including the outcome of all experiments we perform to test it, superdeterminism cannot be disproved, which puts it in the class of things a person can imagine but not demonstrate. Any model that cannot be demonstrated offers no method by which it can be distinguished from fiction.

By comparison, MIWOI's model can be demonstrated. It already has, but that is a topic for another essay.

Published 2026 Jan 12