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Register a new userWhy physical understanding should precede the mathematical formalism - conditional quantum probabilities as a case-study
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Conditional probabilities in quantum systems which have both initial and final boundary conditions are commonly evaluated using the Aharonov-Bergmann-Lebowitz rule. In this short note we present a seemingly disturbing paradox that appears when applying the rule to systems with slightly broken degeneracies. In these cases we encounter a singular limit - the probability jumps when going from perfect degeneracy to negligibly broken one. We trace the origin of the paradox and solve it from both traditional and modern perspectives in order to highlight the physics behind it: the necessity to take into account the finite resolution of the measuring device. As a practical example, we study the application of the rule to the Zeeman effect. The analysis presented here may stress the general need to first consider the governing physical principles before heading to the mathematical formalism, in particular when exploring puzzling quantum phenomena.
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Considering a minimal number of assumptions and in the context of the timeless formalism, we derive conditional probabilities for subsequent measurements in the non-relativistic regime. Only unitary transformations are considered with detection processes described by generalized measurements (POVM). One-time conditional probabilities are univocally and unambiguous derived via the Gleason-Bush theorem, also in puzzling cases like the Wigners friend scenario where their form underlines the relativity aspect of measurements. No paradoxical situations emerge and the roles of Wigner and the friend are completely interchangeable. In particular, Wigner can be seen as a superimposed of states from his/her friend.
We show that including both the system and the apparatus in the quantum description of the measurement process, and using the concept of conditional probabilities, it is possible to deduce the statistical operator of the system after a measurement with a given result, which gives the probability distribution for all possible consecutive measurements on the system. This statistical operator, representing the state of the system after the first measurement, is in general not the same that would be obtained using the postulate of collapse.
We use a novel form of quantum conditional probability to define new measures of quantum information in a dynamical context. We explore relationships between our new quantities and standard measures of quantum information such as von Neumann entropy. These quantities allow us to find new proofs of some standard results in quantum information theory, such as the concavity of von Neumann entropy and Holevos theorem. The existence of an underlying probability distribution helps to shed some light on the conceptual underpinnings of these results.
By a series of simple examples, we illustrate how the lack of mathematical concern can readily lead to surprising mathematical contradictions in wave mechanics. The basic mathematical notions allowing for a precise formulation of the theory are then summarized and it is shown how they lead to an elucidation and deeper understanding of the aforementioned problems. After stressing the equivalence between wave mechanics and the other formulations of quantum mechanics, i.e. matrix mechanics and Diracs abstract Hilbert space formulation, we devote the second part of our paper to the latter approach: we discuss the problems and shortcomings of this formalism as well as those of the bra and ket notation introduced by Dirac in this context. In conclusion, we indicate how all of these problems can be solved or at least avoided.
The orthocomplemented modular lattice of subspaces L[H(d)], of a quantum system with d- dimensional Hilbert space H(d), is considered. A generalized additivity relation which holds for Kolmogorov probabilities, is violated by quantum probabilities in the full lattice L[H(d)] (it is only valid within the Boolean subalgebras of L[H(d)]). This suggests the use of more general (than Kolmogorov) probability theories, and here the Dempster-Shafer probability theory is adopted. An operator D(H1,H2), which quantifies deviations from Kolmogorov probability theory is introduced, and it is shown to be intimately related to the commutator of the projectors P(H1),P(H2), to the subspaces H1,H2. As an application, it is shown that the proof of CHSH inequalities for a system of two spin 1/2 particles, is valid for Kolmogorov probabilities, but it is not valid for Dempster- Shafer probabilities. The violation of these inequalities in experiments, supports the interpretation of quantum probabilities as Dempster-Shafer probabilities.
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