2006/11/16 by Frank Borg, Borg, Frank
Chemistry · Computer Science · Physics and Astronomy · #FOS: Physical sciences #General Physics (physics.gen-ph) #History and Philosophy of Physics (physics.hist-ph) #History and advancements in chemistry #Quantum Information and Cryptography #Quantum Mechanics and Applications #physics.gen-ph #physics.hist-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.physics/0611164
29 pages. Orig. version in Arkhimedes (Helsinki), no. 3, 1992:166-189
arxiv created 2006/11/16 · openalex publication_date 2006/11/16 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
This paper discusses questions concerning the foundations of quantum mechanics (entanglement, wave collapse, irreversibility) with reference to the issues raised during a Minisymposium held in Helsinki, 1.6-3.6 in 1992, where A Shimony, A Peres and B d'Espagnat were invited to lecture. The measurement problem is related to the phenomenon of irreversibility which is known not to follow from any fundamental theory; e.g., the law of exponential decay does not follow from the Schrödinger equation in senso stricto. The approximations that lead to irreversibility are related to some form of ''forgetting'', or coarse graining. Some approaches to the question, why these approximations can be justified, are reviewed. The paper also discusses dynamical reduction schemes and it is suggested, that the corresponding non-linear modifications of the Schrödinger equation -- which lead to non-conservation of energy -- are actually ''effective'' Schrödinger equations for open systems (in analogy with the ''effective'' Lagrangians in QFT). Thus these modifications should be derived from a fundamental theory of interactions. The paper ends with some brief comments on the mind-body question in the quantum mechanical context. A postscript has been added (2006).