Probability, arrow of time and decoherence

DOI10.1016/J.SHPSB.2006.04.007MaRDI QIDQ643123zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors Guido Bacciagaluppi

Publication date 27 October 2011

Published in Studies in History and Philosophy of Science. Part B. Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/0701225

zbMATH Keywords

decoherent historiestime asymmetry of probabilities

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Philosophy of mathematics (00A30) Physics (00A79) Axioms; other general questions in probability (60A05) General and philosophical questions in quantum theory (81P05) Quantum measurement theory, state operations, state preparations (81P15)

Abstract: This paper relates both to the metaphysics of probability and to the physics of time asymmetry. Using the formalism of decoherent histories, it investigates whether intuitions about intrinsic time directedness that are often associated with probability can be justified in the context of no-collapse approaches to quantum mechanics. The standard (two-vector) approach to time symmetry in the decoherent histories literature is criticised, and an alternative approach is proposed, based on two decoherence conditions ('forwards' and 'backwards') within the one-vector formalism. In turn, considerations of forwards and backwards decoherence and of decoherence and recoherence suggest that a time-directed interpretation of probabilities, if adopted, should be both contingent and perspectival.

Recommendations

• TIME, CHANCE AND QUANTUM THEORY
• Decoherence and time emergence
• Time-of-arrival probabilities and quantum measurements
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 2222804
• A probabilistic view on decoherence theory
• Probability and quantum dynamics
• Probabilistic time and the quantum gravity interpretation
• Quantum Time Evolution in Terms of Nonredundant Probabilities
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 2222798
• Quantum probabilities for time-extended alternatives

Cites work

• Backward evolving quantum states
• Boltzmann's Time Bomb
• Consistent histories and the interpretation of quantum mechanics
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 947411 (Why is no real title available?)
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 2102224 (Why is no real title available?)
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 3208040 (Why is no real title available?)
• Logical reformulation of quantum mechanics. I: Foundations
• No time asymmetry from quantum mechanics
• On the consistent histories approach to quantum mechanics.
• Probability, arrow of time and decoherence
• Quantum equilibrium and the origin of absolute uncertainty
• Quantum pasts and the utility of history
• Speakable and unspeakable in quantum mechanics

Cited in

(12)

• Spontaneous collapse theories and temporal primitivism about time's direction
• Quantum and classical Gödelian indeterminism, measurement, and informational collapse into the past
• TIME, CHANCE AND QUANTUM THEORY
• Quantum probabilities for time-extended alternatives
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 2022585 (Why is no real title available?)
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 1389999 (Why is no real title available?)
• Probability, arrow of time and decoherence
• Preface: Focus issue: time symmetric approaches to quantum mechanics
• Boltzmann's H-theorem, its discontents, and the birth of statistical mechanics
• GRW as an ontology of dispositions
• Finding temporal asymmetry within the many, many worlds of Everettian quantum mechanics
• Can the statistical interpretation of quantum mechanics be inferred from the Schrödinger equation? -- Bell and Gottfried

This page was built for publication: Probability, arrow of time and decoherence

Report a bug (only for logged in users!)Click here to report a bug for this page (MaRDI item Q643123)