Hidden Variables

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#334

From: Timothy Y. Chow
Date: Sun, 16 Aug 1992 20:38

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In _Quantum_Mechanics_ be P.J.E. Peebles he states that a local hidden
variables theory is wrong and gives a convincing argument.  ("Local" means
that is satisfies certain locality assumptions---that the hidden variables
are not coupled to the choice of measurements made.)  My questions:

1. How accurate is Peebles' claim?  To what extent can it be proved that
nobody will ever devise a local hidden variables theory?

2. Are there any plausible non-local hidden variables theories around?

I frequently encounter technically naive philosophers who have a strong
feeling that nature is fundamentally deterministic, and so I'm interested
in seeing how strongly one can argue against hidden variable theories.
-- 
Tim Chow     tycchow@math.mit.edu
Where a calculator on the ENIAC is equipped with 18,000 vacuum tubes and weighs
30 tons, computers in the future may have only 1,000 vacuum tubes and weigh
only 1 1/2 tons.                               ---Popular Mechanics, March 1949

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From: tycchow@riesz.mit.edu (Timothy Y. Chow)
Subject: Hidden Variables
Message-ID: <1992Aug16.203826.10685@galois.mit.edu>
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Date: Sun, 16 Aug 92 20:38:26 GMT
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