Do we really understand quantum mechanics?
is part of: SORBONNE-UNIVERSITE
references: s0375-9601(99)00646-5
modified: 2024-04-19T16:18:53
is part of: SHS
is part of: SU-SCIENCES
creator: Author
  person: https://data.archives-ouvertes.fr/author/828332
  structure: https://data.archives-ouvertes.fr/structure/1
issued: 2001
abstract: This article presents a general discussion of several aspects of our present understanding of quantum mechanics. The emphasis is put on the very special correlations that this theory makes possible: they are forbidden by very general arguments based on realism and local causality. In fact, these correlations are completely impossible in any circumstance, except the very special situations designed by physicists especially to observe these purely quantum effects. Another general point that is emphasized is the necessity for the theory to predict the emergence of a single result in a single realization of an experiment. For this purpose, orthodox quantum mechanics introduces a special postulate: the reduction of the state vector, which comes in addition to the Schrödinger evolution postulate. Nevertheless, the presence in parallel of two evolution processes of the same object (the state vector) maybe a potential source for conflicts; various attitudes that are possible to avoid this problem are discussed in this text. After a brief historical introduction, recalling how the very special status of the state vector has emerged in quantum mechanics, various conceptual difficulties are introduced and discussed. The Einstein Podolsky Rosen (EPR) theorem is presented with the help of a botanical parable, in a way that emphasizes how deeply the EPR reasoning is rooted into what is often called "scientific method''. In another section the GHZ argument, the Hardy impossibilities, as well as the BKS theorem are introduced in simple terms.
references: http://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/9810028
subject: foundations of quantum mechanics
references: https://doi.org/10.1119/1.16243
references: http://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/9606004
references: physrevlett.74.4091
subject: Bell theorem
type: Article
references: qua.560180819
is part of: LKB
is part of: ALLINSP
is part of: PSL
is part of: https://data.archives-ouvertes.fr/revue/2872
is version of: hal-00000001
subject: alternative theories
bibliographic citation: Franck Laloë. Do we really understand quantum mechanics?. American Journal of Physics, 2001, 69, pp.655 - 701. ⟨10.1119/1.1356698⟩. ⟨hal-00000001v2⟩
created: 2004-11-14T12:50:42
is part of: CNRS
subject: GHZ theorem
topic: shs.hisphilso
aggregates: mq-anglais.pdf
language: en
is part of: ENS-PARIS
is part of: ENS-PSL
topic: phys.qphy
subject: quantum measurement
page end: 701
volume: 69
references: physreva.39.2277
is part of: hal.science
references: hal-00296897
references: physreva.54.2759
page start: 655
doi: 10.1119/1.1356698
is part of: SU-TI
is part of: UPMC
arxiv: quant-ph/0209123
is part of: CIREL-FORMATION
is part of: UPMC POLE 2
is part of: HIPHISCITECH
is part of: ALLIANCE-SU
available: 2004-11-14
is part of: OMNIPHILO