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.2009.05.064Additional 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.