1−1=Counterfactual: on the potency and significance of quantum non-events

A Elitzur; Eliahu Cohen

doi:10.1098/rsta.2015.0242

1−1=Counterfactual: on the potency and significance of quantum non-events

A Elitzur, Eliahu Cohen

School of Physics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article (Academic Journal) › peer-review

14 Citations (Scopus)

201 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

We study the unique role played in quantum mechanics by non-events or ‘counterfactuals’. Our earlier analysis of ‘quantum oblivion’ has revealed some subtle stages in the measurement process, which may end up in self-cancellation. To these findings, we now add two insights derived by two time-symmetric interpretations of quantum mechanics. (i) Like all quantum interactions, the non-event is formed by the conjunction of forward-plus-backward-evolving wave functions. (ii) Then, it is another feature of such dual evolutions, namely the involvement of negative masses and energies, that enables Nature to make some events ‘unhappen’ while leaving causal traces.

Original language	English
Article number	20150242
Number of pages	13
Journal	Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences
Volume	374
Issue number	2068
Early online date	18 Apr 2016
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2015.0242
Publication status	Published - 28 May 2016

Keywords

quantum oblivion
counterfactuals
non-events
interaction-free
measurement
time symmetry

Access to Document

10.1098/rsta.2015.0242

Full-text PDF (accepted author manuscript)
This is the author accepted manuscript (AAM). The final published version (version of record) is available online via the Royal Society at http://rsta.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/374/2068/20150242. Please refer to any applicable terms of use of the publisher.
Accepted author manuscript, 802 KB

Fingerprint Dive into the research topics of '1−1=Counterfactual: on the potency and significance of quantum non-events'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this

@article{ea560a2007fb432ba0b05643f1f82e98,

title = "1−1=Counterfactual: on the potency and significance of quantum non-events",

abstract = "We study the unique role played in quantum mechanics by non-events or {\textquoteleft}counterfactuals{\textquoteright}. Our earlier analysis of {\textquoteleft}quantum oblivion{\textquoteright} has revealed some subtle stages in the measurement process, which may end up in self-cancellation. To these findings, we now add two insights derived by two time-symmetric interpretations of quantum mechanics. (i) Like all quantum interactions, the non-event is formed by the conjunction of forward-plus-backward-evolving wave functions. (ii) Then, it is another feature of such dual evolutions, namely the involvement of negative masses and energies, that enables Nature to make some events {\textquoteleft}unhappen{\textquoteright} while leaving causal traces.",

keywords = "quantum oblivion, counterfactuals, non-events, interaction-free, measurement, time symmetry",

author = "A Elitzur and Eliahu Cohen",

year = "2016",

month = may,

day = "28",

doi = "10.1098/rsta.2015.0242",

language = "English",

volume = "374",

journal = "Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences",

issn = "1364-503X",

publisher = "The Royal Society",

number = "2068",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - 1−1=Counterfactual

T2 - on the potency and significance of quantum non-events

AU - Elitzur, A

AU - Cohen, Eliahu

PY - 2016/5/28

Y1 - 2016/5/28

N2 - We study the unique role played in quantum mechanics by non-events or ‘counterfactuals’. Our earlier analysis of ‘quantum oblivion’ has revealed some subtle stages in the measurement process, which may end up in self-cancellation. To these findings, we now add two insights derived by two time-symmetric interpretations of quantum mechanics. (i) Like all quantum interactions, the non-event is formed by the conjunction of forward-plus-backward-evolving wave functions. (ii) Then, it is another feature of such dual evolutions, namely the involvement of negative masses and energies, that enables Nature to make some events ‘unhappen’ while leaving causal traces.

AB - We study the unique role played in quantum mechanics by non-events or ‘counterfactuals’. Our earlier analysis of ‘quantum oblivion’ has revealed some subtle stages in the measurement process, which may end up in self-cancellation. To these findings, we now add two insights derived by two time-symmetric interpretations of quantum mechanics. (i) Like all quantum interactions, the non-event is formed by the conjunction of forward-plus-backward-evolving wave functions. (ii) Then, it is another feature of such dual evolutions, namely the involvement of negative masses and energies, that enables Nature to make some events ‘unhappen’ while leaving causal traces.

KW - quantum oblivion

KW - counterfactuals

KW - non-events

KW - interaction-free

KW - measurement

KW - time symmetry

U2 - 10.1098/rsta.2015.0242

DO - 10.1098/rsta.2015.0242

M3 - Article (Academic Journal)

C2 - 27091159

VL - 374

JO - Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences

JF - Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences

SN - 1364-503X

IS - 2068

M1 - 20150242

ER -