Comment on Mohrhoff's "What quantum mechanics is trying to tell us"
Abstract
Mohrhoff proposes using the Aharonov-Bergmann-Lebowitz (ABL) rule for time-symmetric ``objective'' (meaning non-epistemic) probabilities corresponding to the possible outcomes of not-actually-performed measurements between specified pre- and post-selection measurement outcomes. It is emphasized that the ABL rule was formulated on the assumption that such intervening measurements are actually made and that it does not necessarily apply to counterfactual situations. The exact nature of the application of the ABL rule considered by Mohrhoff is made explicit and is shown to fall short of his stated counterfactual claim.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.quant-ph/0003098,
title = {Comment on Mohrhoff's "What quantum mechanics is trying to tell us"},
author = {R. E. Kastner},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:quant-ph/0003098},
year = {2007}
}
Comments
To appear in American Journal of Physics. This substantially revised version critically analyses the counterfactual usage of the ABL rule as advocated by Mohrhoff, with reference to similar ongoing claims by Vaidman