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Quantum superpositions and definite perceptions : envisaging new feasible experimental tests
| Content Provider | Semantic Scholar |
|---|---|
| Author | Ghirardi, Giancarlo |
| Copyright Year | 1998 |
| Abstract | We call attention on the fact that recent unprecedented technological achievements, in particular in the field of quantum optics, seem to open the way to new experimental tests which might be relevant both for the foundational problems of quantum mechanics as well as for investigating the perceptual processes. 1 Introductory considerations. The crucial problem of quantum mechanics can be summarized in a very elementary way: if one assumes that the linear evolution law of the theory governes all natural processes, then, while in actual measurement processes (and [1] in all those measurement like processes we are obliged to admit ... are going on more or less all the time, more or less everywhere) linear superpositions of macroscopically different situations occur, we perceive only one among the many potential outcomes. In a way or another (more about this in what follows) we have to recognize that, at least at the level of our definite perceptions, the linear laws of quantum mechanics are violated. Here we will not discuss the extremely delicate and controversial problem of the perceptual process, but we will limit ourselves to call attention on the fact that recent unprecedented technical improvements, specifically in the field of quantum optics, seem to allow the preparation of linear superpositions of states such that the terms of the superposition are able to trigger definite and different perceptions of a conscious observer. In spite of the fact that everybody would feel confident in anticipating the main characteristics of the final exit of the experiments we are going to discuss we think that it is interesting to analyze them since they exhibit some completely new features and they could, in principle, allow to get some interesting indications about the percetual process. ∗e-mail: ghirardi@ts.infn.it |
| File Format | PDF HTM / HTML |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | http://arxiv.org/pdf/quant-ph/9810028v1.pdf |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | http://arxiv.org/pdf/quant-ph/9810028v3.pdf |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | http://arxiv.org/pdf/quant-ph/9810028v2.pdf |
| Language | English |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Subject Keyword | Achievement Email Experiment Optics Quantum mechanics Quantum superposition |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Article |
