Weak values and consistent histories in quantum theory

Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics 35 (1):57-71 (2003)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

A relation is obtained between weak values of quantum observables and the consistency criterion for histories of quantum events. It is shown that “strange” weak values for projection operators always correspond to inconsistent families of histories. It is argued that using the ABL rule to obtain probabilities for counterfactual measurements corresponding to those strange weak values gives inconsistent results. This problem is shown to be remedied by using the conditional weight, or pseudo-probability, obtained from the multiple-time application of Lüders’ Rule. It is argued that an assumption of reverse causality implies that weak values obtain, in a restricted sense, at the time of the weak measurement as well as at the time of post-selection. Finally, it is argued that weak values are more appropriately characterized as multiple-time amplitudes than expectation values, and as such can have little to say about counterfactual questions.

Links

PhilArchive



    Upload a copy of this work     Papers currently archived: 90,593

External links

Setup an account with your affiliations in order to access resources via your University's proxy server

Through your library

Similar books and articles

Weak values and consistent histories in quantum theory.Ruth Kastner - 2004 - Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics 35 (1):57-71.
Non-representative Quantum Mechanical Weak Values.B. E. Y. Svensson - 2015 - Foundations of Physics 45 (12):1645-1656.
Quantum Weak Values and Logic: An Uneasy Couple.Bengt E. Y. Svensson - 2017 - Foundations of Physics 47 (3):430-452.
Weak Measurement and Weak Information.Boaz Tamir & Sergei Masis - 2012 - Foundations of Physics 42 (4):531-543.
Weak values and consistent histories in quantum theory.Ruth Kastner - 2004 - Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics 35 (1):57-71.
Time-Symmetrized Quantum Theory: A Critique.Ruth Elinor Kastner - 1999 - Dissertation, University of Maryland, College Park
Convergence of observables on quantum logics.W. Tomé & S. Gudder - 1990 - Foundations of Physics 20 (4):417-434.

Analytics

Added to PP
2017-02-20

Downloads
7 (#1,201,127)

6 months
1 (#1,040,386)

Historical graph of downloads
How can I increase my downloads?

Author's Profile

Citations of this work

Non-representative Quantum Mechanical Weak Values.B. E. Y. Svensson - 2015 - Foundations of Physics 45 (12):1645-1656.
Quantum mechanics as a consistency condition on initial and final boundary conditions.David John Miller - 2008 - Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics 39 (4):767-781.
Quantum mechanics as a consistency condition on initial and final boundary conditions.David John Miller - 2008 - Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics 39 (4):767-781.
Quantum Weak Values and Logic: An Uneasy Couple.Bengt E. Y. Svensson - 2017 - Foundations of Physics 47 (3):430-452.

View all 8 citations / Add more citations

References found in this work

No references found.

Add more references