Aspects of the Problem of Retrodiction
Bernard d’Espagnat
The problem of retrodiction is associated with basic questions, but for this very reason it is, unfortunately, quite difficult, even in classical physics. In quantum physics it is even more subtle. In quantum mechanics, a consistent definition of what is called a "system" leads to problems that do not exist in classical physics, and correspondingly the answers to the questions raised are less straightforward. This chapter discusses the conditions under which it is possible to speak of an "independent time evolution" of a system S and to study what kinds of predictions can legitimately be made when these conditions are fulfilled. It describes retroactive computation to investigate whether or not the assumed knowledge in question is really consistent with the standard quantum mechanical formalism. The concept of retrodiction is related to the notions of time reversal and of irreversibility. Both these notions play a central role in physics.
CRC Press eBooks•Mar 5, 2018•0 citations