The Einstein-podolsky-Rosen argument and the bell inequalities
| Abstract | In 1935 Einstein, Podolsky, and Rosen (EPR) published an important paper in which they claimed that the whole formalism of quantum mechanics together with what they called ``Reality Criterion'' imply that quantum mechanics cannot be complete. That is, there must exist some elements of reality that are not described by quantum mechanics. There must be, they concluded, a more complete description of physical reality behind quantum mechanics. There must be a state, a hidden variable, characterizing the state of affairs in the world in more details than the quantum mechanical state, something that also reflects the missing elements of reality. Under some further but quite plausible assumptions, this conclusion implies that in some spin-correlation experiments the measured quantum mechanical probabilities should satisfy particular inequalities (Bell-type inequalities). The paradox consists in the fact that quantum probabilities do not satisfy these inequalities. And this paradoxical fact has been confirmed by several laboratory experiments in the last three decades. The problem is still open and hotly debated among both physicists and philosophers. It has motivated a wide range of research from the most fundamental quantum mechanical experiments through foundations of probability theory to the theory of stochastic causality as well as the metaphysics of free will. | |||||||||
| Keywords | No keywords specified (fix it) | |||||||||
| Categories | ||||||||||
| Options |
|
|||||||||
Download options| PhilPapers Archive |
Upload a copy of this paper Check publisher's policy on self-archival Papers currently archived: 5,672 |
| External links |
  Try with proxy. |
| Through your library | Only published papers are available at libraries |
Similar books and articlesDaniel Schoch (1988). On the Formal Connection of the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen Argument to Quantum Mechanics and Reality. Erkenntnis 29 (2):269 - 278.
G. Giuseppe, F. Martini & D. Boschi (1996). Test of the Violation of Local Realism in Quantum Mechanics with No Use of Bell's Inequalities. Erkenntnis 45 (2-3):367 - 377.
Arthur Fine, The Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen Argument in Quantum Theory. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
Robert Clifton, Constantine Pagonis & Itamar Pitowsky (1992). Relativity, Quantum Mechanics and EPR. PSA: Proceedings of the Biennial Meeting of the Philosophy of Science Association 1992:114 - 128.
Peter Kosso (2000). Quantum Mechanics and Realism. Foundations of Science 5 (1):47-60.
László E. Szabó, The Einstein--Podolsky--Rosen Argument and the Bell Inequalities. Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
Analytics
Monthly downloads |
Added to index2009-01-28Total downloads22 ( #56,171 of 549,066 )Recent downloads (6 months)4 ( #19,186 of 549,066 )How can I increase my downloads? |
My notes
Discussion
