PIRSA:18040116

Can quantum states be understood as Bayesian states of belief?

Myrvold, W. (2018). Can quantum states be understood as Bayesian states of belief?. Perimeter Institute. https://pirsa.org/18040116

Myrvold, Wayne. Can quantum states be understood as Bayesian states of belief?. Perimeter Institute, Apr. 11, 2018, https://pirsa.org/18040116 

          @misc{ pirsa_PIRSA:18040116,
            doi = {10.48660/18040116},
            url = {https://pirsa.org/18040116},
            author = {Myrvold, Wayne},
            keywords = {Quantum Foundations},
            language = {en},
            title = {Can quantum states be understood as Bayesian states of belief?},
            publisher = {Perimeter Institute},
            year = {2018},
            month = {apr},
            note = {PIRSA:18040116 see, \url{https://pirsa.org}}
          }

Wayne Myrvold Western University

DOI 10.48660/18040116
Collection
Talk Type Conference
Subject

Abstract

In accordance with Betteridge's Law of Headlines, the answer to the question in the title is "no." I will argue that the usual norms of Bayesian inference lead the conclusion that quantum states are features of physical reality. The argument will involve both existing $\psi$-ontology results and extension of them that avoids the use of the Cartesian Product Assumption. As the usual norms of Bayesian inference lead to the conclusion of the reality of quantum state, rejecting it requires abandonment of virtually all of Bayesian information theory. This, I will argue, is unwarranted