An argument against the realistic interpretation of the wave function

Carlo Rovelli (1, 2)

1 CPT - Centre de Physique Théorique - UMR 7332
2 CPT - E4 Gravité quantique

Testable predictions of quantum mechanics are invariant under time reversal. But the change of the quantum state in time is not so, neither in the collapse nor in the no-collapse interpretations of the theory. This fact challenges the realistic interpretation of the quantum state. On the other hand, this fact follows easily if we interpret the quantum state as a mere calculation device, bookkeeping past real quantum events. The same conclusion follows from the analysis of the meaning of the wave function in the semiclassical regime.

Domaines: Physique Quantique [quant-ph]; Relativité Générale et Cosmologie Quantique [gr-qc]

Carlo Rovelli. An argument against the realistic interpretation of the wave function. 2016. ⟨hal-01476560⟩