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arXiv · 1902.01667

Against the Tyranny of Pure States in Quantum Theory

Christian de Ronde·César Massri
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Abstract

We argue that the notion of pure sate within Standard Quantum Mechanics is presently applied within the specialized literature in relation to two mutually inconsistent definitions. While the first (operational purity) provides a basis-dependent definition which makes reference to the certain prediction of measurement outcomes, the latter (trace-invariant purity) provides a purely abstract invariant definition which lacks operational content. In this work we derive a theorem which exposes the serious inconsistencies existent within these two incompatible definitions of purity.

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Christian de Ronde, César Massri. 2019-02-05. Against the Tyranny of Pure States in Quantum Theory. https://arxiv.org/abs/1902.01667

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