The superposition of the states and the logic approach to quantum mechanics

Stanley Gudder

A superposition principle is considered both in classical mechanics and in the quantum logic approach to quantum mechanics. It is shown, roughly speaking, that in classical mechanics the only type of superposition of states is a mixture and that no pure state is a nontrivial superposition of other pure states. In quantum mechanics it is shown that, if a superposition principle holds, then the quantum logic is a complete atomic lattice.

Stanley Gudder

Arkady Bolotin

As it is known, neither classical logical conjunction “and” nor classical logical alternative “either…or” can replace “+” representing a linear superposition of two quantum states. Therefore, to provide a logical account of the quantum superposition, one must either reconsider the standard interpretation of quantum mechanics (making it fit for classical bivalent logic) or replace the standard logic with a deviant logic suitable for describing the superposition. In this paper, a supervaluation approach to the description of the quantum superposition is considered. In accordance with this approach, the indefinite propositions, which correspond to the superposition states, lack truth-values of any kind, even granting that their compounds (such as logical alternative “either…or”) can have truth-values. As an illustration, the supervaluationist account of the superposition of spin states is presented.

Garrett Birkhoff, John von Neumann

Garrett Birkhoff, John von Neumann

shuanglin wang