Recently, one of Einstein's young friends, Abraham Pais, reported that round about 1950 Einstein had asked him if he really believed that the moon existed only if he looked at it.
Einstein himself had no doubts as to the answer. In his view the commonsense belief is correct. The moon does exist in objective reality whether or not anyone is observing it.
So why did he ask the question?
He did so because he had long disagreed with a lot of the most important and influential physicists of his time, about the interpretation of that area of physics known as quantum physics that deals with the behaviour of objects in the microphysical, subatomic, world. Many of these physicists were committed to an interpretation from which it follows that nothing - the moon included - exists unless it is being observed. Einstein wanted to know whether Pais was on his side or theirs. what about you? are you a realist or not?
