Weak values and consistent histories in quantum theory
Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B 35 (1):57-71 (2004)
| Abstract | ABSTRACT: A relation is obtained between weak values of quantum observables and the consistency criterion for histories of quantum events. It is shown that ``strange'' weak values for projection operators (such as values less than zero) always correspond to inconsistent families of histories. It is argued that using the ABL rule to obtain probabilities for counterfactual measurements corresponding to those strange weak values gives inconsistent results. This problem is shown to be remedied by using the conditional weight, or pseudo-probability, obtained from the multiple-time application of Luders' Rule. It is argued that an assumption of reverse causality (a form of time symmetry) implies that weak values obtain, in a restricted sense, at the time of the weak measurement as well as at the time of post-selection. Finally, it is argued that weak values are more appropriately characterised as multiple-time amplitudes than expectation values, and as such can have little to say about counterfactual questions. | |||||||||
| 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: 5,865 |
| External links |
  Try with proxy. |
| Through your library | Configure |
Similar books and articlesKenny Easwaran (2008). Strong and Weak Expectations. Mind 117 (467):633-641.
S. I. Melnyk & I. G. Tuluzov (2010). The Dynamics of Stock Exchange Based on the Formalism of Weak Continuous Quantum Measurement. Journal of Physics 238 (012035):1-9.
Tien D. Kieu (2002). Quantum Hypercomputation. Minds and Machines 12 (4):541-561.
Osvaldo Pessoa Jr (2001). Counterfactual Histories: The Beginning of Quantum Physics. Philosophy of Science 68 (3):S519 - S530.
Hartmann Romer (2004). Weak Quantum Theory and the Emergence of Time. Mind and Matter 2 (2):105-125.
Ruth E. Kastner (2008). The Transactional Interpretation, Counterfactuals, and Weak Values in Quantum Theory. Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B 39 (4):806-818.
Analytics
Monthly downloads |
Added to index2009-01-28Total downloads11 ( #100,810 of 556,803 )Recent downloads (6 months)1 ( #64,847 of 556,803 )How can I increase my downloads? |
My notes
Discussion
