Caponigro, Michele and Giannetto, Enrico
(2012)
Epistemic vs Ontic Classification of quantum entangled states?
[Preprint]
Abstract
In this brief paper, starting from recent works, we analyze from conceptual point of view this basic question: can be the nature of quantum entangled states interpreted ontologically or epistemologically? According some works, the degrees of freedom (and the tool of quantum partitions)
of quantum systems permit us to establish a possible classification between factorizables and entangled states. We suggest, that the "choice" of degree of freedom (or quantum partitions), even if mathematically justified introduces epistemic element, not only in the systems but also in their classification. We retain, instead, that there are not two classes of quantum states, entangled and
factorizables, but only a single classes of states: the entangled states. In fact, the factorizable states become entangled for a different choice of their degrees of freedom (i.e. they are entangled with respect to other observables). In the same way, there are not partitions of quantum system which have an ontological superior status with respect to any other. For all these reasons, both mathematical tools utilized (i.e quantum partitions or degrees of freedom) are responsible of improper
classification of quantum systems. Finally, we argue that we cannot speak about a classification of quantum systems: all the quantum states exhibit a unique objective nature, they are all entangled states.
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