Dipole states in the deuteron, other exotic nuclei, and “Schrödinger’s Cat”

The question whether the “soft giant dipole modes” in halo nuclei are resonances is discussed. It is argued that a resonance picture of these modes can be envisaged with a non Breit-Wigner line shape. The dipole Coulomb breakup of the deuteron is worked out as a specific example of such a picture. The “soft” and “hard” dipole modes of the more complex neutron-rich exotic nuclei are treated from this point of view. An interpretation of the coherent production of these modes in Coulomb excitation as a nuclear instance of Schrödinger cat state is advanced.