Skip to main content
Log in

Existence of “free will” as a problem of physics

  • Part VI. Invited Papers Dedicated To John Archibald Wheeler
  • Published:
Foundations of Physics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The proof of Bell's inequality is based on the assumption that distant observers can freely and independently choose their experiments. As Bell's inequality isexperimentally violated, it appears that distant physical systems may behave as a single, nonlocal, indivisible entity. This apparent contradiction is resolved. It is shown that the “free will” assumption is, under usual circumstances, an excellent approximation.

I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life....

Deuteronomy XXX, 19

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. J. S. Bell,Physics 1, 195 (1964).

    Google Scholar 

  2. A. Peres and W. H. Zurek,Am. J. Phys. 50, 807 (1982).

    Google Scholar 

  3. A. Peres,Found. Phys. 14, 1131 (1984).

    Google Scholar 

  4. G. Iooss, R. H. G. Helleman, and R. Stora, eds.,Chaotic Behavior of Deterministic Systems (North-Holland, Amsterdam, 1983).

    Google Scholar 

  5. A. Landé,Foundations of Quantum Theory (Yale University Press, New Haven, 1955), p. 4.

    Google Scholar 

  6. W. Perrie, A. J. Duncan, H. J. Beyer, and H. Kleinpoppen,Phys. Rev. Lett. 54, 1790 (1985).

    Google Scholar 

  7. F. James,Rep. Prog. Phys. 43, 1145 (1980).

    Google Scholar 

  8. A. Einstein, B. Podolsky, and N. Rosen,Phys. Rev. 47, 777 (1935).

    Google Scholar 

  9. N. Bohr,Phys. Rev. 48, 696 (1935).

    Google Scholar 

  10. A. Aspect, J. Dalibard, and G. Roger,Phys. Rev. Lett. 49, 1804 (1982).

    Google Scholar 

  11. J. S. Bell,J. Phys. C 2, 41 (1980).

    Google Scholar 

  12. A. Peres,Am. J. Phys. 46, 745 (1978).

    Google Scholar 

  13. A. Peres,Am. J. Phys. 52, 644 (1984).

    Google Scholar 

  14. R. L. Pfleegor and L. Mandel,Phys. Rev. 159, 1084 (1967).

    Google Scholar 

  15. S. J. Feingold and A. Peres,J. Phys. A 13, 3187 (1980).

    Google Scholar 

  16. N. Cufaro-Petroni, A. Garuccio, F. Selleri, and J. P. Vigier,C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris B 290, 11 (1980).

    Google Scholar 

  17. N. Herbert,Found. Phys. 12, 1171 (1982).

    Google Scholar 

  18. G. C. Ghirardi, A. Rimini, and T. Weber,Lett. Nuovo Cimento 27, 293 (1980).

    Google Scholar 

  19. D. N. Page,Phys. Lett. A 91, 57 (1982).

    Google Scholar 

  20. A. Shimony, inProc. International Symposium on Foundations of Quantum Mechanics (Phys. Soc. Japan, Tokyo, 1984).

    Google Scholar 

  21. A. Peres, “When is a quantum measurement?”,Am. J. Phys. 54 (1986), in press.

  22. D. Finkelstein, inParadigms and Paradoxes, R. C. Colodny, ed. (Univ. Pittsburgh Press, 1971), Vol. V; reprinted inLogico-Algebraic Approach to Quantum Mechanics, C. A. Hooker, ed. (Reidel, Dordrecht, 1975), Vol. II, pp. 141–160.

  23. H. Paul,Am. J. Phys. 53, 318 (1985).

    Google Scholar 

  24. A. Peres,Am. J. Phys. 43, 1015 (1975).

    Google Scholar 

  25. A. Peres and L. S. Schulman,Int. J. Theor. Phys. 6, 377 (1972).

    Google Scholar 

  26. L. Gatlin,Int. J. Theor. Phys. 19, 25 (1980).

    Google Scholar 

  27. J. A. Wheeler and R. P. Feynamn,Rev. Mod. Phys. 21, 425 (1949).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

Dedicated to Prof. John A. Wheeler on the occasion of his 75th birthday.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Peres, A. Existence of “free will” as a problem of physics. Found Phys 16, 573–584 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01886522

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01886522

Keywords

Navigation