Hostname: page-component-745bb68f8f-kw2vx Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-01-12T22:46:56.787Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Measurements and Quantum States: Part I

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 March 2022

Henry Margenau
Henry Margenau*
Affiliation:
Yale University
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Although there is a complete consensus among working physicists with respect to the practical and operational meanings of quantum states, and also a rather loosely formulated general philosophic view called the Copenhagen interpretation, a great deal of confusion and divergence of opinions exist as to the details of the measurement process and its effects upon quantum states. This paper reviews the current expositions of the measurement problem, limiting itself for lack of space primarily to the writings of physicists; it calls attention to inconsistencies and proposes resolutions. Except for a summary of the properties of statistical matrices which are needed in Part II, the first part is non-mathematical and deals largely with two kinds of probability, reducible and irreducible probabilities, which need to be distinguished for a proper understanding of the measurement act.

Type
Research Article
Information
Philosophy of Science , Volume 30 , Issue 1 , January 1963 , pp. 1 - 16
Copyright
Copyright © Philosophy of Science Association 1963

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

Part II of this essay is to appear in the succeeding issue of Philosophy of Science.

References

[1] Born, Max, Science, v. 122, 675, (1955).10.1126/science.122.3172.675CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[2] Born, Max, and Hooton, D. J., Proceedings Cambridge Philosophical Society, v. 52, 281, (1956).10.1017/S0305004100031273CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[3] Carnap, R., Logical Foundations of Probability, University of Chicago Press, (1950).Google Scholar
[4] Durand, L. III, “On the Theory of Measurement in Quantum Mechanical Systems”, Philosophy of Science, v. 27, No. 2, (1960).10.1086/287718CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[5] Einstein, A., Podolski, Z. and Rosen, Z., Physical Review, v. 47, 111, (1935).10.1103/PhysRev.47.777CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[6] Everett, H. III, Review of Modern Physics, v. 29, 254, (1957).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[7] Feyerabend, P. K., Colston Papers, IX, (1957).Google Scholar
[8] Heisenberg, W., Physics and Philosophy, Harper's, (1958).Google Scholar
[9] Landé, A., Z.f. Physics, v. 153, 389, (1959).10.1007/BF01337606CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[10] Lindsay, R. B. and Margenau, H., The Foundations of Physics, Wiley, (1936).Google Scholar
[11] Margenau, H., Philosophy of Science, v. 25, No. 1, (1958).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[12] Margenau, H., Physical Review, v. 49, 240, (1936).10.1103/PhysRev.49.240CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[13] McKnight, J. L., Philosophy of Science, v. 24, No. 3, (1957).10.1086/287553CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[14] McKnight, J. L., Philosophy of Science, v. 25, No. 2, (1958).10.1086/287601CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[15] Mould, R., Annals of Physics, 17, 404, (1962).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[16] Sussman, G., Colston Papers, IX, 121, (1957).Google Scholar
[17] Wakita, H., Progress of Theoretical Physics, v. 23, 32, (1960).10.1143/PTP.23.32CrossRefGoogle Scholar