Erwin Schrödinger’s cat first appeared in 1935. It may still be alive. It’s hard to say.
That kitty revealed a world where cause and effect do not work the way we expect.
This may blow your mind a little.
I wrote about the cat in my book, Is the World Running Down? (1988), pp. 27-28. You can download for free it here.
If you think that cat is mind-blowing, wait until you read about Bell’s theorem.
Schrodinger's question hinges not on the cat's actual state, but our perception (or lack thereof) of the cat's state. The cat is either dead or alive. There is no "both" option, regardless of what information is available.
The really interesting debate comes about when we consider how to apply the question to economics. When is it best to continue to invest in a project given an unknown peak or failure of that project (the cat's death)? What is the emotional attachment to the cat, or the investment? If the investment is doomed, yet still viable, should we divest?
An interesting discussion to say the least.
Schrodinger gets pulled over by the police to search his car boot:
"Sir, there's a dead body in here"… to which Schrodinger replies: "There is now!"