A general argument against the universal validity of the superposition principle

DOI10.1016/S0375-9601(00)00612-5MaRDI QIDQ998078zbMATH OpenWikidataFDO

Authors Angelo Bassi, Giancarlo Ghirardi

Publication date 10 August 2007

Published in Physics Letters. A (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/0009020

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

General and philosophical questions in quantum theory (81P05) Quantum measurement theory, state operations, state preparations (81P15)

Abstract: We reconsider a well known problem of quantum theory, i.e. the so called measurement (or macro-objectification) problem, and we rederive the fact that it gives rise to serious problems of interpretation. The novelty of our approach derives from the fact that the relevant conclusion is obtained in a completely general way, in particular, without resorting to any of the assumptions of ideality which are usually done for the measurement process. The generality and unescapability of our assumptions (we take into account possible malfunctionings of the apparatus, its unavoidable entanglement with the environmment, its high but not absolute reliability, its fundamentally uncontrollable features) allow to draw the conclusion that the very possibility of performing measurements on a microsystem combined with the assumed general validity of the linear nature of quantum evolution leads to a fundamental contradiction.

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Cites work

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Cited in

(18)

• Consciousness and the Wigner's friend problem
• Insolubility from no-signalling
• Integrated information-induced quantum collapse
• Poisson stochastic master equation unravelings and the measurement problem: a quantum stochastic calculus perspective
• Changes of separation status during registration and scattering
• Decoherence and wave function collapse
• A note on measurement
• Epistemic \textit{primacy vs.} ontological \textit{elusiveness} of spatial \textit{extension}: is there an evolutionary role for the \textit{quantum}?
• Insolubility theorems and EPR argument
• Quantum models of classical world
• Time-of-arrival probabilities and quantum measurements
• A consequence of a proof of the one-way function existence for the problem of macroscopic superpositions
• Classical versus quantum probability in sequential measurements
• Master-equations for the study of decoherence
• Reconsidering Mermin's ``In praise of measurement
• No-faster-than-light-signaling implies linear evolution. A re-derivation
• The quantum measurement problem enhanced
• Dynamical reduction models

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