Schrödinger's Cat -- Amended

Abstract

Arguments have been raised that the system--observer cut of quantum mechanics can be shifted arbitrarily close to, or even into, the conscious observer. Here I show that this view leads to {\it observable} contradictions (despite our inability to control the phases of macroscopic states). For this purpose I modify and extend Schrödinger's well--known superposition of a cat in its dead and alive state. Implications for other interpretations of quantum mechanics are also discussed. My conclusion is that quantum mechanics is incomplete. The question ``When does the state vector collapse?'' seems to be unavoidable, has observable consequences, and is not answered by quantum mechanics.