Observables and Unobservables in Quantum Mechanics: How the No-Hidden-Variables Theorems Support the Bohmian Particle Ontology
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Download: Un-Observables-1705-final.pdf (500.09 [Ko])
State: Public
Version: author
State: Public
Version: author
Serval ID
serval:BIB_DDA4076C4956
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Observables and Unobservables in Quantum Mechanics: How the No-Hidden-Variables Theorems Support the Bohmian Particle Ontology
Journal
Entropy
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2018
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
20
Number
5
Pages
1-17
Language
english
Abstract
The paper argues that far from challenging—or even refuting—Bohm’s quantum theory, the no-hidden-variables theorems in fact support the Bohmian ontology for quantum mechanics. The reason is that (i) all measurements come down to position measurements; and (ii) Bohm’s theory provides a clear and coherent explanation of the measurement outcome statistics based on an ontology of particle positions, a law for their evolution and a probability measure linked with that law. What the no-hidden-variables theorems teach us is that (i) one cannot infer the properties that the physical systems possess from observables; and that (ii) measurements, being an interaction like other interactions, change the state of the measured system.
Keywords
no-hidden-variables theorems, observables, measurement problem, Bohmian mechanics, primitive ontology
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Create date
13/10/2018 11:41
Last modification date
21/08/2019 6:10