Comment on ``Consistent Sets Yield Contrary Inferences in Quantum Theory''

Abstract

In a recent paper Kent has pointed out that in consistent histories quantum theory it is possible, given initial and final states, to construct two different consistent families of histories, in each of which there is a proposition that can be inferred with probability one, and such that the projectors representing these two propositions are mutually orthogonal. In this note we stress that, according to the rules of consistent history reasoning two such propositions are not contrary in the usual logical sense namely, that one can infer that if one is true then the other is false, and both could be false. No single consistent family contains both propositions, together with the initial and final states, and hence the propositions cannot be logically compared. Consistent histories quantum theory is logically consistent, consistent with experiment as far as is known, consistent with the usual quantum predictions for measurements, and applicable to the most general physical systems. It may not be the only theory with these properties, but in our opinion, it is the most promising among present possibilities.

2pages, uses REVTEX 3.0

References in corpus (1)

• Choice of Consistent Family, and Quantum Incompatibility

Cited by in corpus (28)

• Understanding quantum measurement from the solution of dynamical models
• On the quantum origin of the seeds of cosmic structure
• Shortcomings in the Understanding of Why Cosmological Perturbations Look Classical
• The Objective Past of a Quantum Universe: Redundant Records of Consistent Histories
• Linear Positivity and Virtual Probability
• The Three-Box Paradox Revisited
• Can the Decoherent Histories Description of Reality be Considered Satisfactory?
• The New Quantum Logic
• Quantum Mechanics with Extended Probabilities
• Quantum Pasts and the Utility of History
• Consistent Sets and Contrary Inferences: Reply to Griffiths and Hartle
• Classical Vs Quantum Probability in Sequential Measurements
• On the Consistency of the Consistent Histories Approach to Quantum Mechanics
• Quantum theory without Hilbert spaces
• First Principles Numerical Demonstration of Emergent Decoherent Histories
• A Consistent Quantum Ontology
• Consistent histories, quantum truth functionals, and hidden variables
• Consistent Quantum Measurements
• The role of phase space geometry in Heisenberg's uncertainty relation
• Context, spacetime loops, and the interpretation of quantum mechanics
• Quantum histories without contrary inferences
• Epistemic Restrictions in Hilbert Space Quantum Mechanics
• Incompatible Multiple Consistent Sets of Histories and Measures of Quantumness
• Contrary Inferences in Consistent Histories and a Set Selection Criterion
• Hilbert Space Quantum Mechanics Is Noncontextual
• Classical branches and entanglement structure in the wavefunction of cosmological fluctuations
• The quantum mechanics needs the principle of wave function collapse, but this principle should not be misunderstood
• Contrary Inferences for Classical Histories within the Consistent Histories Formulation of Quantum Theory