On a supposed conceptual inadequacy of the Shannon information in quantum mechanics

DOI10.1016/S1355-2198(03)00037-6MaRDI QIDQ720553zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors Christopher Gordon Timpson

Publication date 17 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/0112178

zbMATH Keywords

quantum mechanicsinformation measurevon Neumann entropyShannon informationbruknerZeilinger's foundational principle

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Information theory (general) (94A15) Measures of information, entropy (94A17) General and philosophical questions in quantum theory (81P05) Quantum measurement theory, state operations, state preparations (81P15) Quantum cryptography (quantum-theoretic aspects) (81P94)

Abstract: Recently, Brukner and Zeilinger (2001) have claimed that the Shannon information is not well defined as a measure of information in quantum mechanics, adducing arguments that seek to show that it is inextricably tied to classical notions of measurement. It is shown here that these arguments do not succeed: the Shannon information does not have problematic ties to classical concepts. In a further argument, Brukner and Zeilinger compare the Shannon information unfavourably to their preferred measure, I(p), with regard to the definition of a notion of `total information content'. This argument is found unconvincing and the relationship between individual measures of information and notions of `total information content' investigated. We close by considering the prospects of Zeilinger's Foundational Principle as a foundational principle for quantum mechanics

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(10)

• Information and the Brukner-Zeilinger interpretation of quantum mechanics: a critical invest\-igation
• Channel kets, entangled states, and the location of quantum information
• Pragmatic information in quantum mechanics
• Deflating the deflationary view of information
• What is quantum information?
• On the quantum measure of information
• Shannon’s information theory 70 years on: applications in classical and quantum physics
• The physical foundation of quantum theory
• What is Shannon information?
• Information, immaterialism, instrumentalism: old and new in quantum information

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