Questions tagged [quantum-interpretations]
This tag is for questions relating to what, if anything, the quantum mechanical formalism and experimental results say about the way the world works.
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Are there experiments that rule out some interpretations of QM? [closed]
Have we discovered experiments which can rule out some interpretation of QM and keep relevant others?
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First Paragraph of Chapter 12 of Griffiths and Schroeter meaning
I am unsure what of Griffiths and Schroeter mean when they say
This raises a profound question: Did the physical system "actually have" the attribute in questions prior to the measurement (...
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Is the interference pattern of an entangled particle affected by the measurement of it's pair far enough away to take into account special relativity?
I've been considering a theoretical setup for a quantum experiment where 2 particles are prepared with entangled spin. They are then moved far away from one another where particle B is next to Bob who ...
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Does the Kochen–Specker theorem allow to show experimentally the trouble with hidden variable theories?
Kochen–Specker theorem is one of the 'no-go' theorems for hidden variables theories. Is it possible using Kochen–Specker theorem to show experimentally that hidden variables theories reproducing QM ...
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Could number-theoretic "statistical independence" results (e.g. Chowla's conjecture) be used to disprove superdeterminism?
I will admit I only have the most basic understanding of superdeterminism, from this PBSspacetime video, in particular at this link https://youtu.be/JnKzt6Xq-w4?t=584 (I have provided the relevant ...
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On Bohr's response to EPR
If I understand correctly, the EPR paper (1935) points out that quantum mechanics is incomplete theory if it describes individual particles and measurements. This is true by the mathematical formalism....
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In quantum mechanics, can we measure anything else than position?
In the basic quantum mechanics lectures, we learn that we can measure any observable. That means mathematically, all Hermitian operators correspond to a physically measurable quantity. In strong ...
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Can the "conscious observer" be distinct from the "observed quantum system"?
There speculations on the nature of consciousness by Wigner, Penrose etc., but it seems that we are nowhere close to a scientific theory of consciousness. I would like to know if the "conscious ...
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What is the cellular automaton interpretation of quantum mechanics?
Gerard 't Hooft has presented a new interpretation of quantum mechanics called: Cellular Automaton
Is there anyone who can give a summary of the main points of the interpretation and its main ...
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What is the role of an observer in "consciousness causes collapse"? [duplicate]
If a "conscious observer" is part of a theory of physics (e.g. some versions of QM, cosmology), then how (according to what theories) did the universe evolve before the existence of ...
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Measurement Problem Explained by Interaction of Operator With Adjoint Having Larger Domain?
Quantum physics axiomatically uses a self-adjoint operator for a measurement. In general, the adjoint of an operator has a larger domain than an operator. Could it be that the "measurement ...
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The many-worlds interpretation and a free particle
How does the many-worlds interpretation understand the time evolution and spread of a free particle wave function? That is, does every continuously small change constitute a cosmic action that causes ...
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Quantum Theory Texts Advocating Specific Interpretations [duplicate]
I'm looking for comprehensive textbooks or monographs on quantum mechanics that inherently advocate specific interpretations. I've found a few over the course of time such as Ballentine's or Dürr's ...
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Number of ''Splittings'' in Many Worlds
The many worlds interpretation suggests that the universe (or multiverse, not sure on the terminology) is composed of a superposition of quantum worlds?
It seems like there is a splitting off of ...
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Do interactions slow down a particle? [closed]
I wonder whether particles, especially such as photons and neutrinos, do slow down when they interact in any way? E.g. how is it going on for the Compton effect but how is it in general like in QED or ...
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Does choose-a-history work as a quantum interpretation?
This is a lay-reader level question about the interpretation problem in QM, from a QFT perspective.
In his book QED, Feynman talks about how to calculate the probability density across a family of ...
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Is the Copenhagen interpretation local?
In Wikipedia's table of interpretations of quantum mechanics there is a column for "local dynamics" where under the Copenhagen interpretation states "yes[citation needed]". Should ...
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Quantum non-equilibrium in various quantum interpretations
Quantum non-equilibrium is a hypothetical situation in which a quantum system does not follow the Born rule.
In Copenhagen interpretation, Born rule is postulated as a law, while in MWI and Bohmian ...
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Is the measurement problem an interpretation or practical problem?
According to Wikipedia:
In quantum mechanics, the measurement problem is the problem of how, or whether, wave function collapse occurs.
Is the measurement problem an interpretation problem or a ...
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Is the many-worlds interpretation less ill-defined than the Copenhagen interpretation? [closed]
In my understanding, the Copenhagen interpretation is ill-defined in the following way. The interpretation says that wavefunctions collapse when a measurement is performed. But the Copenhagen ...
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Can gravity cause a wave function to collapse?
Assume the Copenhagen interpretation.
Suppose that a particle, for example an electron, has a wavefunction. If a heavy object, like the Earth, is close by, then that object interacts with the electron ...
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Ballentine on the concept of state (the ensemble interpretation) [closed]
Early in Chapter 2 of Ballentine's Quantum Mechanics, he gives what I will call $\textbf{Statement 1}$:
The empirical content of a probability statement is revealed only in the relative frequencies ...
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What does it mean to say the universe is not locally real? [duplicate]
Pardon me if this is a naive question.
What is difference between saying space-time is not locally real, and saying it is not real?
The proposal that the universe is not locally real seems to imply ...
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Different "Pictures" in Quantum Mechanics [duplicate]
What are some examples of 'pictures' in quantum mechanics besides the famous Schrodinger and Heisenberg pictures?
In the Schrodinger picture, one takes the time evolution operator to be acting on ...
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In Everettian quantum mechanics, what does branching look like if the universe is in a non-unitarily evolving mixed state?
In Cuffaro and Hartmann's (2021) Open Systems View, the authors suggest, "The problem is that if the physical universe is not represented as a unitarily evolving state vector, then it becomes ...
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Resource recommendation for Everett interpretation and internal point of view in physical theories
For what I understand, the Everett interpretation of quantum mechanics tries to take a point of view from inside the model. Roughly, it tries to describe the whole system, including the measurement ...
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Testability of consciousness-causes-collapse interpretation
The consciousness causes collapse a.k.a. Von Neumann–Wigner interpretation says that the wavefunction collapse occur only at the point when a conscious being observes the result. I myself find it ...
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Understanding the Pusey-Barrett-Rudolph (PBR) Paper and Possible Experiments to Test It
I was kindly pointed to the PBR paper by one of the other members here recently and have been trying to digest it. As one might imagine I have a wide range of questions but I'll try to keep things ...
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Who caused first collapse of wave function?
With my wife we discuss a quantum theory and wonder whether a wave function could collapse without an observer - meaning a human/or any other living beings.
If so we could make a conclusion that there ...
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What is an agent in the Quantum Bayesianism/Relational Quantum mechanics-like interpretations?
In interpretations like Quantum Basyesianism, Relational interpretation, Information Theory interpretation, etc, the wavefunction represents the probabilistic knowledge that an agent holds about a ...
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Why it is a longstanding challenge to reproduce Born rule in Everettian QM?
I'm reading this Sebens and Carroll's paper on Self-Locating Uncertainty and the Origin of Probability in Everettian Quantum Mechanics. Where they presented their derivations of the Born rule and ...
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Extremes of integration with box normalization
In order to be able to normalize the plane wave we confine our system to a box with a finite volume $V$ which we take to be infinity at the end of the calculations. This box is chosen so that it is ...
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Two questions about the many-worlds theory [closed]
I have a few questions about the many-worlds theory
1 The concept of time
To understand the many-world model concept, I imagined a model with three universes:
i) An orient express train in Paris, ii) ...
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What does Copenhagen interpretation tell about Mach-Zehnder interferometer with single photons?
Reading many sources on the net it is not clear what Bohr et al. says concretely about MZI. Maybe they say that the particle doesn't exist during this flight and appears only on the detectors? Maybe ...
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How does de Broglie-Bohm pilot wave theory account for decoherence?
This question really has two parts, and for clarity here I am primarily interested in Bohmian description of a system of $N$ particles with Hamiltonian $H=\sum_{j=1}^N \frac{p^2_j}{2m_j} + V({\bf{q}})$...
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Quantum mechanics: does many-worlds interpretation remove nonlocality? Bell-type experiment
Trying to make sense of many-worlds interpretation and see if it removes nonlocality or solves other problems. It appears to me that branching is equivalent to collapse... so trying to see what I'm ...
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Does this experiment put an end to Copenhagen (and all epistolar) interpretations of QM?
The article from April 2022 in PhysRev Research is about the famous double slit experiment (Mach Zehnder variant) made with single neutrons and it proves that there is definitely something in both ...
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How does pilot wave theory expain delayed choice quantum eraser experiment?
I have heard that pilot wave theory adequately explains all quantum phenomenon and is an alternative to the more mainstream Copenhagen interpretation.
We have an experiment called the delayed choice ...
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How does the Pusey-Barret-Rudolph (PBR) theorem not just disprove hidden variables?
In Quantum Mechanics, two different wavefunctions can have a non-zero probability of finding a particle at a position $x$.
According to hidden variable theories, if a particle is found at $x$, it was ...
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How does many-worlds interpretation explain Interference of the wave function and interaction free measurement?
According to the many-worlds interpretation there inst any superposition. But for example in the Elitzur–Vaidman bomb experience the photon is Interfering with itself.
If the universes have no ...
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What is the meaning of the wavefunction?
I'm taking an introductory quantum mechanics course (at the undergraduate level), for which we're following the Griffiths text. I'm doing well in the course, and can perform calculations fairly ...
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Is my interpretation of the underlying idea behind this 2022 Nobel Prize story “How physicists proved the universe isn’t real” more or less accurate?
I’m not very good at math but I frequently watch PBS Spacetime on YouTube to try to satisfy my curiosity about physics despite that.
In a recent video by Dr Ben Miles titled “How Physicists Proved the ...
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Why does the Pusey-Barrett-Rudolph (PBR) theorem focus on one-to-many relationships?
The PBR theorem says that one state of a hidden variable theory cannot correspond to multiple pure states of Quantum Mechanics.
But, wouldn't hidden variable theories be of a many-to-one nature anyway?...
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Is there a conflict, or is there not a conflict between the Pusey-Barrett-Rudolph (PBR) theorem and the information theory interpretation?
In the wikipedia article, it says that the PBR theorem sort of rules out the psi epistemic interpretations. I want to know, is this the end of the information theory interpretation and relational ...
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Any Bell Experiments Showing Inequality Violations in Purely Classical Systems and What this Would Mean If So?
Are there any legitimate experiments/papers out there that have shown a violation of the Bell Inequalities in purely classical systems in which local realism couldn't sanely be called into question? I ...
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How can a superdeterministic theory ever match Quantum Mechanic's predictions?
Superdeterminism says that we can observe violations from Bell's constraint for local hidden variable theories, if we assume the measurement choices are correlated, which they must be in a ...
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How can the Copenhagen interpretation possibly be redeemed of this contradiction? [closed]
It seems like the Copenhagen interpretation is just self contradictory. These two axioms are contradictory:
Quantum Mechanics describes all the particles in the universe
Measurement devices evolve ...
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Don't Bell experiments rule out local non-realism too? [duplicate]
Bell experiments rule out local realism (hidden variables). But it seems to me that it also rules out local non-realism (no hidden variables).
Local non-realism makes 2 claims;
Two distant events can'...
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Interpretation of the free scalar propagator in terms of field measurement
This is a pretty basic QFT question but I haven't found a discussion of it in depth enough for my taste in any textbook.
We want a relativistic theory to be causal, hence we want the commutator of ...
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How is particle type "encoded" in wave function?
Let single-particle wave functions most generally be given by $\big|\psi\big\rangle\in\mathcal{H}$, where $\mathcal{H}=L^2$ is the space of square-integrable functions. In the first place, the wave ...
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