Measurements according to Consistent Histories
Abstract
We critically evaluate the treatment of the notion of measurement in the Consistent Histories approach to quantum mechanics. We find such a treatment unsatisfactory because it relies, often implicitly, on elements external to those provided by the formalism. In particular, we note that, in order for the formalism to be informative when dealing with measurement scenarios, one needs to assume that the appropriate choice of framework is such that apparatuses are always in states of well defined pointer positions after measurements. The problem is that there is nothing in the formalism to justify this assumption. We conclude that the Consistent Histories approach, contrary to what is claimed by its proponents, fails to provide a truly satisfactory resolution for the measurement problem in quantum theoryAuthor's Profile
DOI
10.1016/j.shpsb.2014.08.011
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Citations of this work
The Consistent Histories formalism and the measurement problem.Elias Okon & Daniel Sudarsky - 2015 - Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics 52 (Part B):217-222.
Consistent quantum measurements.Robert B. Griffiths - 2015 - Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics 52 (Part B):188-197.
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A Suggested Interpretation of the Quantum Theory in Terms of ‘Hidden’ Variables, I and II.David Bohm - 1952 - Physical Review (85):166-193.
On the Consistency of the Consistent Histories Approach to Quantum Mechanics.Elias Okon & Daniel Sudarsky - 2014 - Foundations of Physics 44 (1):19-33.