A symmetry problem in the Copenhagen interpretation
Quantum Physics
2009-09-02 v1 History and Philosophy of Physics
Abstract
A non-uniqueness result for the canonical structure in quantum theory shows that the classical part of the Copenhagen interpretation contains physically important information not contained in its quantum part. As a consequence, we cannot compute the symmetry group of a quantum theory considering only the quantum part. The unavoidable vagueness of the classical part therefore leads to a similar vagueness in the definition of the symmetry group. This makes it at least problematic, if not impossible, to establish the true symmetry group of a quantum theory in the Copenhagen interpretation. Different from the old measurement problem, the symmetry group is to important physically to be rejected as a metaphysical pseudoproblem.
Cite
@article{arxiv.0909.0175,
title = {A symmetry problem in the Copenhagen interpretation},
author = {I. Schmelzer},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0909.0175},
year = {2009}
}