arXiv subjects

Dennis Dieks

Publications and source records attributed to Dennis Dieks.

23 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2007

Probability in modal interpretations of quantum mechanics

Modal interpretations have the ambition to construe quantum mechanics as an objective, man-independent description of physical reality. Their second leading idea is probabilism: quantum mechanics does not completely fix physical reality but yields probabilities. In working out these ideas an important motif is to stay close to the standard formalism of quantum mechanics and to refrain from introducing new structure by hand. In this paper we explain how this programme can be made concrete. In particular, we show that the Born probability rule, and sets of definite-valued observables to which the Born probabilities pertain, can be uniquely defined from the quantum state and Hilbert space structure. We discuss the status of probability in modal interpretations, and to this end we make a comparison with many-worlds alternatives. An overall point that we stress is that the modal ideas define a general framework and research programme rather than one definite and finished interpretation.

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arXiv2007

Identical Quantum Particles and Weak Discernibility

We examine a recent argument that ``identical'' quantum particles with an anti-symmetric state (fermions) are weakly discernible objects, just like irreflexively related ordinary objects in situations with perfect symmetry (Black's spheres, for example). We conclude that the argument uses a silent premise that is not justified in the quantum case.

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arXiv2002

Inequalities that test locality in quantum mechanics

Quantum theory violates Bell's inequality, but not to the maximum extent that is logically possible. We derive inequalities (generalizations of Cirel'son's inequality) that quantify the upper bound of the violation, both for the standard formalism and the formalism of generalized observables (POVMs). These inequalities are quantum analogues of Bell inequalities, and they can be used to test the quantum version of locality. We discuss the nature of this kind of locality. We also go into the relation of our results to an argument by Popescu and Rohrlich (Found. Phys. 24, 379 (1994)) that there is no general connection between the existence of Cirel'son's bound and locality.

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arXiv2001

A perspectival version of the modal interpretation of quantum mechanics and the origin of macroscopic behavior

We study the process of observation (measurement), within the framework of a `perspectival' (`relational', `relative state') version of the modal interpretation of quantum mechanics. We show that if we assume certain features of discreteness and determinism in the operation of the measuring device (which could be a part of the observer's nerve system), this gives rise to classical characteristics of the observed properties, in the first place to spatial localization. We investigate to what extent semi-classical behavior of the object system itself (as opposed to the observational system) is needed for the emergence of classicality. Decoherence is an essential element in the mechanism of observation that we assume, but it turns out that in our approach no environment-induced decoherence on the level of the object system is required for the emergence of classical properties.

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arXiv1999

Consistent histories and relativistic invariance in the modal interpretation of quantum mechanics

Modal interpretations of quantum mechanics assign definite properties to physical systems and specify single-time joint probabilities of these properties. We show that a natural extension, applying to properties at several times, can be given if a decoherence condition is satisfied. This extension defines "consistent histories" of modal properties. We suggest a new form of the modal scheme, that offers prospects of a more general applicability of the histories concept. Finally, we discuss a possible way of applying these ideas to relativistic quantum field theory.

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