Quantum probability and many worlds

Meir Hemmo; Itamar Pitowsky

doi:10.1016/j.shpsb.2006.04.005

Quantum probability and many worlds

Meir Hemmo, Itamar Pitowsky

Department of Philosophy

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

We discuss the meaning of probabilities in the many worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics. We start by presenting very briefly the many worlds theory, how the problem of probability arises, and some unsuccessful attempts to solve it in the past. Then we criticize a recent attempt by Deutsch to derive the quantum mechanical probabilities from the non-probabilistic parts of quantum mechanics and classical decision theory. We further argue that the Born probability does not make sense even as an additional probability rule in the many worlds theory. Our conclusion is that the many worlds theory fails to account for the probabilistic statements of standard (collapse) quantum mechanics.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	333-350
Number of pages	18
Journal	Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B - Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics
Volume	38
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.shpsb.2006.04.005
State	Published - Jun 2007

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
We thank the Israel Science Foundation (Grants Numbers 879/02 and 240/06) for supporting this research.

Keywords

Many worlds
Quantum probability
Rational decision theory

ASJC Scopus subject areas

History
General Physics and Astronomy
History and Philosophy of Science

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10.1016/j.shpsb.2006.04.005

Cite this

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AB - We discuss the meaning of probabilities in the many worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics. We start by presenting very briefly the many worlds theory, how the problem of probability arises, and some unsuccessful attempts to solve it in the past. Then we criticize a recent attempt by Deutsch to derive the quantum mechanical probabilities from the non-probabilistic parts of quantum mechanics and classical decision theory. We further argue that the Born probability does not make sense even as an additional probability rule in the many worlds theory. Our conclusion is that the many worlds theory fails to account for the probabilistic statements of standard (collapse) quantum mechanics.

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Quantum probability and many worlds

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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