
Published online:
19 May 2022
Published in print:
07 March 2022
Online ISBN:
9780191880087
Print ISBN:
9780198844495
Contents
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1.1 Quantum Mechanics in Laboratories 1.1 Quantum Mechanics in Laboratories
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1.1.1 Decoherence 1.1.1 Decoherence
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1.1.2 Common Sense in Laboratories 1.1.2 Common Sense in Laboratories
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1.1.2.1 Breaking the von Neumann Chain by Hand; the Projection Postulate (Collapse) 1.1.2.1 Breaking the von Neumann Chain by Hand; the Projection Postulate (Collapse)
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1.1.2.2 Correlation Interpretation 1.1.2.2 Correlation Interpretation
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1.1.2.3 Emphasizing Information 1.1.2.3 Emphasizing Information
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1.2 Some Interpretations 1.2 Some Interpretations
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1.2.1 Standard and Similar Interpretations 1.2.1 Standard and Similar Interpretations
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1.2.1.1 Textbook Interpretation, von Neumann’s Collapse 1.2.1.1 Textbook Interpretation, von Neumann’s Collapse
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1.2.1.2 Bohr 1.2.1.2 Bohr
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1.2.1.3 Variants 1.2.1.3 Variants
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1.2.2 Consistent Histories 1.2.2 Consistent Histories
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1.2.2.1 Families of Histories 1.2.2.1 Families of Histories
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1.2.2.2 Consistency Condition for Families 1.2.2.2 Consistency Condition for Families
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1.2.2.3 Describing the Evolution of an Isolated System 1.2.2.3 Describing the Evolution of an Isolated System
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1.2.2.4 Incompatibility: the Simultaneous Use of Several Different Consistent Families is Meaningless 1.2.2.4 Incompatibility: the Simultaneous Use of Several Different Consistent Families is Meaningless
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1.2.3 Ensemble (Statistical) Interpretations 1.2.3 Ensemble (Statistical) Interpretations
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1.2.4 Everett 1.2.4 Everett
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1.2.5 Additional Variables 1.2.5 Additional Variables
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1.2.5.1 dBB Theory 1.2.5.1 dBB Theory
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1.2.5.2 Modal Interpretations 1.2.5.2 Modal Interpretations
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1.2.6 Modified Schrödinger Dynamics 1.2.6 Modified Schrödinger Dynamics
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1.2.6.1 GRW 1.2.6.1 GRW
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1.2.6.2 CSL 1.2.6.2 CSL
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1.2.6.3 Gravity Induced Collapse 1.2.6.3 Gravity Induced Collapse
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1.3 Conclusion 1.3 Conclusion
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1.3.1 An Internal Tension in Physics 1.3.1 An Internal Tension in Physics
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1.3.2 The Influence on the Development of Physics 1.3.2 The Influence on the Development of Physics
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References References
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Chapter
1 Quantum Mechanics is Routinely Used in Laboratories with Great Success, but No Consensus on its Interpretation has Emerged
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Franck Laloë
Franck Laloë
CNRS, l'Ecole normale supérieure
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Researcher at the CNRS, Laboratoire Kastler Brossel, ENS Paris
Pages
7–52
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Published:19 May 2022
Cite
Laloë, Franck, 'Quantum Mechanics is Routinely Used in Laboratories with Great Success, but No Consensus on its Interpretation has Emerged', in Olival Freire (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of the History of Quantum Interpretations (2022; online edn, Oxford Academic, 19 May 2022), https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198844495.013.0002, accessed 3 May 2025.
Abstract
In their laboratories, physicists constantly use the theory of quantum mechanics, as a remarkable tool to make accurate predictions concerning their observations, and to discover new effects. But, strangely enough, and almost one century after the introduction of this theory, no consensus on its interpretation has emerged. The present contribution describes this unusual situation and discusses the main families of interpretations that have been proposed in the literature.
Keywords:
Quantum mechanics, von Neumann collapse, Bohr, Copenhagen interpretation, Everett interpretation, Consistent histories, de Broglie-Bohm theory, Modal interpretation, Ghirardi-Rimini-Weber (GRW) theory, Continuous spontaneous localization (CSL) theory, Gravitation and collapse
Series
Oxford Handbooks
Collection:
Oxford Handbooks Online
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