Semantic incompleteness of quantum physics and EPR-like paradoxes

Claudio Garola

Sergio Doplicher

Claudio Garola

The Einstein, Podolski and Rosen (EPR) argument aiming to prove the incompleteness of quantum mechanics (QM) was opposed by most EPR's contemporary physicists and is not accepted within the standard interpretation of QM, which maintains that QM is a complete theory. An analysis of the semantic implications of the opponent positions shows that they imply different notions of truth. The introduction of a nonclassical notion of truth within the standard interpretation is usually justified by referring to known theorems that should prove that QM is a contextual and nonlocal theory. However, these theorems are based on a doubtful implicit epistemological assumption. If one renounces it, one can provide an alternative interpretation of QM that it realistic in a semantic sense. Within this interpretation the EPR viewpoint is recovered and QM is considered a (semantically) incomplete, noncontextual and local theory. Furthermore, the new interpretation provides several suggestions for constructing a more general theory embedding QM and for connecting QM with classical physics and relativity.

Roman Schnabel

In 1935, Albert Einstein, Boris Podolsky, and Nathan Rosen ('EPR') reported on a thought experiment that they believed showed that quantum theory provided an incomplete description of reality. Today we know that quantum theory is a complete and correct description of Nature (in flat space-time). The EPR thought experiment is predicted by quantum theory and has since been experimentally confirmed. However, EPR experiments have no physical pictorial explanation, and are considered part of a "paradox". Here I resolve the "paradox". I show independently of any interpretation of quantum theory that EPR (thought) experiments are a direct and compelling consequence of the existence of true randomness and the conservation of energy. It becomes obvious why EPR (thought) experiments allow for the precise prediction of truly random measurement values. Local hidden variables are not motivated.

Euan J. Squires

Matteo Smerlak