Undecidable classical properties of observers

DOI10.1007/S10773-005-9008-9MaRDI QIDQ861653zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors Sven Aerts

Publication date 29 January 2007

Published in International Journal of Theoretical Physics (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/0507001

zbMATH Keywords

observationquantum measurement problemself-referenceundecidability

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Quantum measurement theory, state operations, state preparations (81P15) Closed and approximate solutions to the Schrödinger, Dirac, Klein-Gordon and other equations of quantum mechanics (81Q05)

Abstract: A property of a system is called actual, if the observation of the test that pertains to that property, yields an affirmation with certainty. We formalize the act of observation by assuming that the outcome correlates with the state of the observed system and is codified as an actual property of the state of the observer at the end of the measurement interaction. For an actual property, the observed outcome has to affirm that property with certainty, hence in this case the correlation needs to be perfect. A property is called classical if either the property or its negation is actual. It is shown by a diagonal argument that there exist classical properties of an observer that he cannot observe perfectly. Because states are identified with the collection of properties that are actual for that state, it follows that no observer can perfectly observe his own state. Implications for the quantum measurement problem are briefly discussed.

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Cites work

• Foundations of quantum physics: a general realistic and operational approach
• Logical self reference, set theoretical paradoxes and the measurement problem in quantum mechanics
• State property systems and orthogonality
• The Quantum Theory of Measurement
• Über formal unentscheidbare Sätze der Principia Mathematica und verwandter Systeme I

Cited in

(2)

• Epistemic horizons and the foundations of quantum mechanics
• The observer determination

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