A New Look at the Quantum Mechanical Problem of Measurement

American Journal of Physics 40:1431-5. (1972)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

According to orthodox quantum mechanics, state vectors change in two incompatible ways: "deterministically" in accordance with Schroedinger's time-dependent equation, and probabilistically if and only if a measurement is made. It is argued here that the problem of measurement arises because the precise mutually exclusive conditions for these two types of transitions to occur are not specified within orthodox quantum mechanics. Fundamentally, this is due to an inevitable ambiguity in the notion of "meawurement" itself. Hence, if the problem of measurement is to be resolved, a new, fully objective version of quantjm mechanics needs to be developed which does not incorporate the notion of measurement in its basic postuolates at all.

Links

PhilArchive

External links

  • This entry has no external links. Add one.
Setup an account with your affiliations in order to access resources via your University's proxy server

Through your library

Similar books and articles

The Problem of Measurement - Real or Imaginary?Nicholas Maxwell - 1973 - American Journal of Physics 41:1022-5.
An axiomatic formulation of the Montevideo interpretation of quantum mechanics.Rodolfo Gambini, Luis Pedro García-Pintos & Jorge Pullin - 2011 - Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics 42 (4):256-263.
Two dogmas about quantum mechanics.Jeffrey Bub & Itamar Pitowsky - 2007 - In Simon Saunders, Jonathan Barrett, Adrian Kent & David Wallace (eds.), Many Worlds?: Everett, Quantum Theory & Reality. Oxford University Press.
From Micro to Macro: A Solution to the Measurement Problem of Quantum Mechanics.Jeffrey Bub - 1988 - PSA: Proceedings of the Biennial Meeting of the Philosophy of Science Association 1988:134 - 144.

Analytics

Added to PP
2011-03-15

Downloads
795 (#17,244)

6 months
81 (#47,336)

Historical graph of downloads
How can I increase my downloads?

Author's Profile

Nicholas Maxwell
University College London

References found in this work

No references found.

Add more references