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Observables and unobservables in quantum mechanics: How the no-hidden-variables theorems support the Bohmian particle ontology

Lazarovici, Dustin and Oldofredi, Andrea and Esfeld, Michael (2018) Observables and unobservables in quantum mechanics: How the no-hidden-variables theorems support the Bohmian particle ontology. [Preprint]

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Abstract

The paper argues that far from challenging – or even refuting – Bohm’s quantum theory, the no-hidden-variables theorems in fact support the Bohmian ontology for quantum mechanics. The reason is that (i) all measurements come down to position measurements and (ii) Bohm’s theory provides a clear and coherent explanation of the measurement outcome statistics based on an ontology of particle positions, a law for their evolution and a probability measure linked with that law. What the no-hidden-variables theorems teach us is that (i) one cannot infer the properties that the physical systems possess from observables and that (ii) measurements, being an interaction like other interactions, change the state of the measured system


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Item Type: Preprint
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCID
Lazarovici, Dustindustin.lazarovici@unil.ch
Oldofredi, AndreaAndrea.Oldofredi@unil.ch
Esfeld, MichaelMichael-Andreas.Esfeld@unil.ch
Keywords: no-hidden-variables theorems, observables, measurement problem, Bohmian mechanics, primitive ontology
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Physics > Quantum Mechanics
General Issues > Theory/Observation
Depositing User: Dr. Andrea Oldofredi
Date Deposited: 18 May 2018 18:56
Last Modified: 18 May 2018 18:56
Item ID: 14686
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Physics > Quantum Mechanics
General Issues > Theory/Observation
Date: May 2018
URI: https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/14686

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