English

Pre- and Post-selection paradoxes and contextuality in quantum mechanics

Quantum Physics 2007-05-23 v2

Abstract

Many seemingly paradoxical effects are known in the predictions for outcomes of intermediate measurements made on pre- and post-selected quantum systems. Despite appearances, these effects do not demonstrate the impossibility of a noncontextual hidden variable theory, since an explanation in terms of measurement-disturbance is possible. Nonetheless, we show that for every paradoxical effect wherein all the pre- and post- selected probabilities are 0 or 1 and the pre- and post-selected states are nonorthogonal, there is an associated proof of contextuality. This proof is obtained by considering all the measurements involved in the paradoxical effect -- the pre-selection, the post-selection, and the alternative possible intermediate measurements -- as alternative possible measurements at a single time.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.quant-ph/0412178,
  title  = {Pre- and Post-selection paradoxes and contextuality in quantum mechanics},
  author = {M. S. Leifer and R. W. Spekkens},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:quant-ph/0412178},
  year   = {2007}
}

Comments

5 pages, 1 figure. Submitted to Phys. Rev. Lett. v2.0 revised in the light of referee comments, results unchanged

R2 v1 2026-07-22T19:47:22.778Z