Do we really understand quantum mechanics?
is part of: CNRS
available: 2004-11-14
type: Article
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.
subject: alternative theories
references: physreva.39.2277
is part of: hal.science
topic: phys.qphy
issued: 2001
is part of: https://data.archives-ouvertes.fr/revue/2872
language: en
references: s0375-9601(99)00646-5
is part of: SU-TI
aggregates: mq-anglais.pdf
is part of: SORBONNE-UNIVERSITE
is part of: SU-SCIENCES
volume: 69
is part of: ALLIANCE-SU
references: qua.560180819
is part of: PSL
page end: 701
is part of: ENS-PSL
subject: foundations of quantum mechanics
references: http://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/9810028
is part of: ENS-PARIS
created: 2004-11-14T12:50:42
page start: 655
creator: Author
  person: https://data.archives-ouvertes.fr/author/828332
  structure: https://data.archives-ouvertes.fr/structure/1
subject: Bell theorem
references: http://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/9606004
is part of: UPMC
is version of: hal-00000001
subject: GHZ theorem
is part of: UPMC POLE 2
is part of: HIPHISCITECH
subject: quantum measurement
is part of: OMNIPHILO
is part of: LKB
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⟩
doi: 10.1119/1.1356698
is part of: CIREL-FORMATION
references: https://doi.org/10.1119/1.16243
topic: shs.hisphilso
is part of: SHS
arxiv: quant-ph/0209123
modified: 2024-04-19T16:18:53
references: physrevlett.74.4091
references: physreva.54.2759
is part of: ALLINSP
references: hal-00296897