dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaQuantum mechanics as a consistency condition on initial and final boundary conditions
| Authors | D. J. Miller |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | quant-ph/0607169 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/0607169 |
Abstract
If the block universe view is correct, the future and the past have similar status and one would expect physical theories to involve final as well as initial boundary conditions. A plausible consistency condition between the initial and final boundary conditions in non-relativistic quantum mechanics leads to the idea that the properties of macroscopic quantum systems, relevantly measuring instruments, are uniquely determined by the boundary conditions. An important element in reaching that conclusion is that preparations and measurements belong in a special class because they involve many subsystems, at least some of which do not form superpositions of their physical properties before the boundary conditions are imposed. It is suggested that the primary role of the formalism of standard quantum mechanics is to provide the consistency condition on the boundary conditions rather than the properties of quantum systems. Expressions are proposed for assigning a set of (unmeasured) physical properties to a quantum system at all times. The physical properties avoid the logical inconsistencies implied by the no-go theorems because they are assigned differently from standard quantum mechanics. Since measurement outcomes are determined by the boundary conditions, they help determine, rather than are determined by, the physical properties of quantum systems.
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"abstract": "If the block universe view is correct, the future and the past have similar\nstatus and one would expect physical theories to involve final as well as\ninitial boundary conditions. A plausible consistency condition between the\ninitial and final boundary conditions in non-relativistic quantum mechanics\nleads to the idea that the properties of macroscopic quantum systems,\nrelevantly measuring instruments, are uniquely determined by the boundary\nconditions. An important element in reaching that conclusion is that\npreparations and measurements belong in a special class because they involve\nmany subsystems, at least some of which do not form superpositions of their\nphysical properties before the boundary conditions are imposed. It is suggested\nthat the primary role of the formalism of standard quantum mechanics is to\nprovide the consistency condition on the boundary conditions rather than the\nproperties of quantum systems. Expressions are proposed for assigning a set of\n(unmeasured) physical properties to a quantum system at all times. The physical\nproperties avoid the logical inconsistencies implied by the no-go theorems\nbecause they are assigned differently from standard quantum mechanics. Since\nmeasurement outcomes are determined by the boundary conditions, they help\ndetermine, rather than are determined by, the physical properties of quantum\nsystems.",
"arxiv_id": "quant-ph/0607169",
"authors": [
"D. J. Miller"
],
"categories": [
"quant-ph"
],
"title": "Quantum mechanics as a consistency condition on initial and final boundary conditions",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/0607169"
},
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