Weak Particle Presence

Bethany Terris

doi:10.1007/s10701-025-00837-2

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arXiv · 2503.19079

Weak Particle Presence

Bethany Terris

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Abstract

The concept of presence has been extensively explored in philosophy, yet the notion of particle presence within quantum theory remains under-examined. In this article, we explore particle presence through an analysis of a paradox arising from weak measurements. We show that the classical intuition about particle presence involves an erroneous logical combination of propositions from single-time weak values, leading to inconsistencies that result in the deduction of discontinuous trajectories. Instead, we argue that by treating presence as a property defined across time by measuring sequential weak values, the discontinuity paradox is resolved, providing a coherent, non-classical account of particle presence. We discuss some advantages and drawbacks of this account, and consider applications to other cases of trajectory discontinuity.

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Bethany Terris. 2025-03-24. Weak Particle Presence. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10701-025-00837-2

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