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Many-Worlds and Schrodinger’s First Quantum Theory

Allori, Valia and Goldstein, Sheldon and Tumulka, Roderich and Zanghi, Nino (2011) Many-Worlds and Schrodinger’s First Quantum Theory. The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science, 62 (1). pp. 1-27.

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Abstract

Schrodinger’s first proposal for the interpretation of quantum mechanics was based on a postulate relating the wave function on configuration space to charge density in physical space. Schrodinger apparently later thought that his proposal was empirically wrong. We argue here that this is not the case, at least for a very similar proposal with charge density replaced by mass density. We argue that when analyzed carefully this theory is seen to be an empirically adequate many-worlds theory and not an empirically inadequate theory describing a single world. Moreover, this formulation—Schrodinger’s first quantum theory—can be
regarded as a formulation of the many-worlds view of quantum mechanics that is ontologically clearer than Everett’s.


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Item Type: Published Article or Volume
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCID
Allori, Valiavallori@niu.edu
Goldstein, Sheldonoldstein@math.rutgers.edu
Tumulka, Roderichtumulka@math.rutgers.edu
Zanghi, Ninozanghi@ge.infn.it
Keywords: Everett’s many-worlds view of quantum theory; quantum theory without observers; primitive ontology; Bohmian mechanics; quantum nonlocality in the many-worlds view; nature of probability in the many-worlds view; typicality.
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Physics > Quantum Mechanics
Depositing User: Dr Valia Allori
Date Deposited: 25 Sep 2012 03:35
Last Modified: 25 Sep 2012 03:35
Item ID: 9337
Journal or Publication Title: The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science
Official URL: http://bjps.oxfordjournals.org/content/62/1/1.abst...
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Physics > Quantum Mechanics
Date: 2011
Page Range: pp. 1-27
Volume: 62
Number: 1
URI: https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/9337

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