dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaChoice of Consistent Family, and Quantum Incompatibility
| Authors | Robert B. Griffiths |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | quant-ph/9708028 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/9708028 |
| DOI | 10.1103/PhysRevA.57.1604 |
| Journal | Phys.Rev. A57 (1998) 1604 |
Abstract
In consistent history quantum theory, a description of the time development of a quantum system requires choosing a framework or consistent family, and then calculating probabilities for the different histories which it contains. It is argued that the framework is chosen by the physicist constructing a description of a quantum system on the basis of questions he wishes to address, in a manner analogous to choosing a coarse graining of the phase space in classical statistical mechanics. The choice of framework is not determined by some law of nature, though it is limited by quantum incompatibility, a concept which is discussed using a two-dimensional Hilbert space (spin half particle). Thus certain questions of physical interest can only be addressed using frameworks in which they make (quantum mechanical) sense. The physicist's choice does not influence reality, nor does the presence of choices render the theory subjective. On the contrary, predictions of the theory can, in principle, be verified by experimental measurements. These considerations are used to address various criticisms and possible misunderstandings of the consistent history approach, including its predictive power, whether it requires a new logic, whether it can be interpreted realistically, the nature of ``quasiclassicality'', and the possibility of ``contrary'' inferences.
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"abstract": "In consistent history quantum theory, a description of the time development\nof a quantum system requires choosing a framework or consistent family, and\nthen calculating probabilities for the different histories which it contains.\nIt is argued that the framework is chosen by the physicist constructing a\ndescription of a quantum system on the basis of questions he wishes to address,\nin a manner analogous to choosing a coarse graining of the phase space in\nclassical statistical mechanics. The choice of framework is not determined by\nsome law of nature, though it is limited by quantum incompatibility, a concept\nwhich is discussed using a two-dimensional Hilbert space (spin half particle).\nThus certain questions of physical interest can only be addressed using\nframeworks in which they make (quantum mechanical) sense. The physicist\u0027s\nchoice does not influence reality, nor does the presence of choices render the\ntheory subjective. On the contrary, predictions of the theory can, in\nprinciple, be verified by experimental measurements. These considerations are\nused to address various criticisms and possible misunderstandings of the\nconsistent history approach, including its predictive power, whether it\nrequires a new logic, whether it can be interpreted realistically, the nature\nof ``quasiclassicality\u0027\u0027, and the possibility of ``contrary\u0027\u0027 inferences.",
"arxiv_id": "quant-ph/9708028",
"authors": [
"Robert B. Griffiths"
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"doi": "10.1103/PhysRevA.57.1604",
"journal_ref": "Phys.Rev. A57 (1998) 1604",
"title": "Choice of Consistent Family, and Quantum Incompatibility",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/9708028"
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