English

Two-time interpretation of quantum mechanics

Quantum Physics 2007-05-23 v1

Abstract

We suggest an interpretation of quantum mechanics, inspired by the ideas of Aharonov et al. of a time-symmetric description of quantum theory. We show that a special final boundary condition for the Universe, may be consistently defined as to determine single classical-like measurement outcomes, thus solving the "measurement problem". No other deviation is made from standard quantum mechanics, and the resulting theory is deterministic (in a two-time sense) and local. Quantum mechanical probabilities are recovered in general, but are eliminated from the description of any single measurement. We call this the Two-time interpretation of quantum mechanics. We analyze ideal measurements, showing how the quantum superposition is, in effect, dynamically reduced to a single classical state via a "two-time decoherence" process. We discuss some philosophical aspects of the suggested interpretation. We also discuss weak measurements using the two-time formalism, and remark that in these measurement situations, special final boundary conditions for the Universe, might explain some unaccounted for phenomena.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.quant-ph/0507269,
  title  = {Two-time interpretation of quantum mechanics},
  author = {Yakir Aharonov and Eyal Y. Gruss},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:quant-ph/0507269},
  year   = {2007}
}

Comments

8 pages. This supersedes quant-ph/0006070