Bacciagaluppi, Guido (2012) Insolubility Theorems and EPR Argument. [Preprint]

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Abstract

I present a very general and simple argument — based on the no-signalling theorem — showing that within the framework of the unitary Schroedinger equation it is impossible to reproduce the phenomenological description of quantum mechanical measurements (in particular the collapse of the state of the measured system) by assuming a suitable mixed initial state of the apparatus. The thrust of the argument is thus similar to that of the ‘insolubility theorems’ for the measurement problem of quantum mechanics (which, however, focus on the impossibility of reproducing the macroscopic measurement results). Although I believe this form of the argument is new, I argue it is essentially a variant of Einstein’s reasoning in the context of the EPR paradox — which is thereby illuminated from a new angle.

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Item Type:	Preprint
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Bacciagaluppi, Guido g.bacciagaluppi@abdn.ac.uk
Additional Information:	To appear in European Journal for Philosophy of Science
Keywords:	insolubility, measurement problem, EPR argument, von Neumann, Einstein
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Physics > Quantum Mechanics
Depositing User:	Guido Bacciagaluppi
Date Deposited:	20 May 2012 18:23
Last Modified:	20 May 2012 18:23
Item ID:	9121
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Physics > Quantum Mechanics
Date:	19 May 2012
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/9121

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