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Relativistic Quantum Mechanics through Frame-Dependent Constructions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2022

Jeffrey A. Barrett
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Abstract

This paper is concerned with the possibility and nature of relativistic hidden-variable formulations of quantum mechanics. Both ad hoc teleological constructions and frame-dependent constructions of spacetime maps are considered. While frame-dependent constructions are clearly preferable, a many-maps theory based on such constructions fails to provide dynamical explanations for local quantum events. Here the hidden-variable dynamics used in the frame-dependent constructions is just a rule that serves to characterize the set of all possible spacetime maps. While not having dynamical explanations of the values of quantum-mechanical measurement records is a significant cost, it may prove too much to ask for dynamical explanations in relativistic quantum mechanics.

Type
Quantum Mechanics
Information
Philosophy of Science , Volume 72 , Issue 5: Proceedings of the 2004 Biennial Meeting of The Philosophy of Science Association. Part I: Contributed Papers , December 2005 , pp. 802 - 813
Copyright
Copyright © The Philosophy of Science Association

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Footnotes

‡

I would like to thank David Malament, Brian Woodcock, and Katherine Peters for helpful discussions and comments on an earlier version of this paper.

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