Published July 6, 2009 | Version v1
Journal article

Insufficiency of the quantum state for deducing observational probabilities

Creators

  • 1. Theoretical Physics Institute, Department of Physics, University of Alberta, Room 238 CEB, 11322-89 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2G7 (Canada)

Description

It is usually assumed that the quantum state is sufficient for deducing all probabilities for a system. This may be true when there is a single observer, but it is not true in a universe large enough that there are many copies of an observer. Then the probability of an observation cannot be deduced simply from the quantum state (say as the expectation value of the projection operator for the observation, as in traditional quantum theory). One needs additional rules to get the probabilities. What these rules are is not logically deducible from the quantum state, so the quantum state itself is insufficient for deducing observational probabilities. This is the measure problem of cosmology.

Availability note (English)

Available from http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.physletb.2009.05.064

Additional details

Identifiers

DOI
10.1016/j.physletb.2009.05.064;
arXiv
arXiv:0808.0722v3;
PII
S0370-2693(09)00657-1;

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Physics Letters. Section B
Journal Volume
678
Journal Issue
1
Journal Page Range
p. 41-44
ISSN
0370-2693
CODEN
PYLBAJ

INIS

Country of Publication
Netherlands
Country of Input or Organization
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
INIS RN
41055399
Subject category
S71: CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS;
Descriptors DEI
COSMOLOGY; EXPECTATION VALUE; PROBABILITY; PROJECTION OPERATORS; QUANTUM INFORMATION; UNIVERSE
Descriptors DEC
INFORMATION; MATHEMATICAL OPERATORS

Optional Information

Copyright
Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.