dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaDecoherent Histories and Realism
| Authors | Angelo Bassi, GianCarlo Ghirardi |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | quant-ph/9912031 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/9912031 |
| Journal | J.Statist.Phys. 98 (2000) 457-494 |
Abstract
We reconsider the Decoherent Histories approach to Quantum Mechanics and we analyze some problems related to its interpretation which, according to us, have not been adequately clarified by its proponents. We put forward some assumptions which, in our opinion, are necessary for a realistic interpretation of the probabilities that the formalism attaches to decoherent histories. We prove that such assumptions, unless one limits the set of the decoherent families which can be taken into account, lead to a logical contradiction. The line of reasoning we will follow is conceptually different from other arguments which have been presented and which have been rejected by the supporters of the Decoherent Histories approach. The conclusion is that the Decoherent Histories approach, to be considered as an interesting realistic alternative to the orthodox interpretation of Quantum Mechanics, requires the identification of a mathematically precise criterion to characterize an appropriate set of decoherent families which does not give rise to any problem.
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"abstract": "We reconsider the Decoherent Histories approach to Quantum Mechanics and we\nanalyze some problems related to its interpretation which, according to us,\nhave not been adequately clarified by its proponents. We put forward some\nassumptions which, in our opinion, are necessary for a realistic interpretation\nof the probabilities that the formalism attaches to decoherent histories. We\nprove that such assumptions, unless one limits the set of the decoherent\nfamilies which can be taken into account, lead to a logical contradiction. The\nline of reasoning we will follow is conceptually different from other arguments\nwhich have been presented and which have been rejected by the supporters of the\nDecoherent Histories approach. The conclusion is that the Decoherent Histories\napproach, to be considered as an interesting realistic alternative to the\northodox interpretation of Quantum Mechanics, requires the identification of a\nmathematically precise criterion to characterize an appropriate set of\ndecoherent families which does not give rise to any problem.",
"arxiv_id": "quant-ph/9912031",
"authors": [
"Angelo Bassi",
"GianCarlo Ghirardi"
],
"categories": [
"quant-ph"
],
"journal_ref": "J.Statist.Phys. 98 (2000) 457-494",
"title": "Decoherent Histories and Realism",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/9912031"
},
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