This is an outdated version published on 2025-12-09. Read the most recent version.

No-go theorems in the foundations of quantum mechanics

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35588/cc.v6d7733

Keywords:

EPR, Bell’s theorem, Kochen‑Specker theorem, Maudlin’s trilemma, PBR theorem

Abstract

The predictive power of quantum mechanics is virtually unmatched. However, there is no clarity—let alone consensus—about what the theory tells us about the nature of the world. This grand question has generated passionate debates over time; the problem is that these debates have often been conducted with little rigor or conceptual precision. No‑go theorems in the foundations of quantum mechanics offer a solid theoretical framework for addressing these questions in a more systematic and objective manner. The purpose of this manuscript is to examine a select set of these results, consisting of the EPR argument, Bell’s theorem, the Kochen‑Specker theorem, Maudlin’s trilemma and the PBR theorem. The goal is to provide a framework for exploring conceptual questions in quantum mechanics in a more rigorous and precise manner.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Albert, D. (1992). Quantum Mechanics and Experience. Harvard University Press.

Aspect, A., Dalibard, J., and Roger, G. (1982). Experimental test of Bell’s inequalities using time-varying analyzers. Physical Review Letters, 49:1804–1807.

Aspect, A., Grangier, P., and Roger, G. (1981). Experimental tests of realistic local theories via Bell’s theorem. Physical Review Letters, 47:460–6443.

Bell, J. (1981). Quantum mechanics for cosmologists. In Quantum Gravity II. Oxford University Press.

Bell, J. S. (1964). On the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen Paradox. Physics, 1:195–200.

Bell, J. S. (1976). The theory of local beables. Epistemological Letters, 9:11–24.

Bell, J. S. (1990). La nouvelle cuisine. In Sarlemijn, A. and Kroes, P., editors, Between Science and Technology. Elsevier Science Publishers.

Bohm, D. (1952). A suggested interpretation of quantum theory in terms of ‘hidden’ variables. Phys. Rev., 85:166–193.

Clauser, J. F., Horne, M. A., Shimony, A., and Holt, R. A. (1969). Proposed experiment to test local hidden-variable theories. Physical Review Letters, 23:880–884.

Dirac, P. (1930). The Principles of Quantum Mechanics. Oxford University Press.

Einstein, A., Podolsky, B., and Rosen, N. (1935). Can Quantum-Mechanical Description of Physical Reality be Considered Complete? Physical Review, 47:777–780.

Everett, H. (1957). ‘relative state’ formulation of quantum mechanics. Rev. Mod. Phys., 29(3).

Ghirardi, G. C., Rimini, A., and Weber, T. (1986). Unified dynamics for microscopic and macroscopic systems. Phys. Rev. D, 34:470–491.

Kochen, S. and Specker, E. P. (1967). The problem of hidden variables in quantum mechanics. J. Math. Mech., 19:59–87.

Maudlin, T. (1995). Three measurement problems. Topoi, 14.

Mermin, N. D. (1993). Hidden variables and the two theorems of john bell. Reviews of Modern Physics, 65.

Pusey, M. F., Barrett, J., and Rudolph, T. (2012). On the Reality of the Quantum State. Nature Physics, 8(6):475–478.

von Newmann, J. (1932). Mathematische Grundlagen der Quantenmechanik. Springer.

Downloads

Submitted

2025-11-05

Published

2025-12-09

Versions

Issue

Section

Dossier: Philosophy and Foundations of Physics

How to Cite

No-go theorems in the foundations of quantum mechanics. (2025). Culturas Científicas, 6(1), 2-17. https://doi.org/10.35588/cc.v6d7733